3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[speckled hen]

Hi everyone

My broody orpington has been sat on 9 eggs for what seems an eternity, we think it must be around 20 days now. I have candled a couple of times and can see that the eggs are "full" so expected some chicks to appear but nothing has. One of the eggs has gone rotten, but it did get dropped the other day when we lifrted cookie off the nest the other day Should I leave her another few days? I can't hear anything. She is sat on eggs from our Shetland, maran and sussex all fathered by an aracuna so should make for interesting chicks. Please hatch little ones

[Redwing]

eggs usually hatch around 21 days and the day they went unde rthe hen is day 0 so you may have a couple of days to go yet

 

I presume you removed the rotten one? if not get rid of that and let her continue with the others

[craftyhunnypie]

Oh gosh yes - leave her on the eggs. Mum knows best & day 20 is nothing with a broody. Some have taken anything up to 25 days!!! She will leave the eggs once she is convinced nothing is going to hatch. I also think that if they had not been viable she might have ate them or rolled them out before now. Give her longer & good luck!

Emma.x

[speckled hen]

Oh Thank you, I was feeling really fed up. She has been so brilliant sat on her eggs I would be sad if it was all for nothing. She is not showing any sign of giving up.

 

I did remove the egg, blimey it ponged

 

Will keep waiting then. Thanks again

[Mollie333]

Still early days yet! Fingers crossed for chicks tomorrow!

[coco]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I have a broody sitting on bantam eggs and we are now on day 20 and still nothing. She's sitting tight though so hopefully something will happen soon.

[chuckmum6]

If you listen closely to the egg you may here tiny scratching sounds, if nothing happens what about seeing if you could get her some day olds?

[coco]

The first chick hatched this afternoon, really exciting, three more to go.

[chuckmum6]

pictures ASAP

[speckled hen]

Well she is still sat tight, didn't get chance to listen. I guess time will tell. Have also got a sussex on 3 eggs so hope she doesn't keep us waiting so long.

[coco]

We are on day 20 of hatching bantams (18 days) and first chick has hatched this afternoon so don't give up.

[atsw]

We are on day 20 of hatching bantams (18 days) and first chick has hatched this afternoon so don't give up.

Yes, my bantams (Pekins) took the 21 days that Large Foul (LF) normally take. In fact only one hatched on day 21, the other four took another 24hrs - so still plenty of time yet speckled hen. Fingers crossed .

 

Andrew

[speckled hen]

Thanks everyone, tis a tense time

[coco]

Two hatched now, one millelfuer pekin [really hope its a girl] and one choc orp bantam, hopefully the other two will hatch today.

[chicken bark]

 

It is the best feeling when they hatch.

[Mollie333]

Any chicks or pipping today?

[speckled hen]

Hi There

Well no sign of any arrivals, Cookie is still sat and not very happy about moving. There is a nasty smell near her so think I might find another rotten egg tonight Will give her another couple of days then will take them from her I guess.

[miller30]

Hi speckled hen do you have a candler so you can check the eggs also when i put eggs under a broody i mark on my calendar when they are due to hatch i know your not sure on date i candled my broodys eggs this morning i have 4 bouncing around turkeys in one batch good luck hopefully she will get at least one

[speckled hen]

She was sat on them on 10th April, so 21 days at the latest today. I candled the eggs on Wednesday, they were dark with an air sack in seven of them. They looked "full" so thought a hatch was imminent. Does this sound right or could they be bad eggs?

[Egluntyne]

I wouldn't give up hope yet. It isn't unknown for chicks to hatch as late as day 24.

[speckled hen]

Thank you for that. She certainly has no plans to move!! I don't know why Im getting so upset about it, I guess I just want her to get a reward for all her hard work

[miller30]

The eggs sound good to me you will have to be patient leanne

[laurmurf]

we've had this happen recently: all eggs turned out to be rotten even though they looked notionally full. We left her sitting on them til day 24. Researching it, I reckon that we had bad bacterial infecting the eggs. All very sad and i felt dreadful that Nan had sat there patiently for 24 days (and the days before to make sure she was broody) and it all came to nowt.

[speckled hen]

And still the wait goes on.......should I candle them and see if I can see chicks???

[Redwing]

I'd be tempted to hook her off for a quick drink and find the smelly one and remove it then leave her alone for a coupld of days