dance in the dark Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 so I currently have 11 eggs under my broody orpington, it is now day 24 and no sign of hatching. When should I give up? I know in theory my hen will give up when she knows its been too long, but I have had her on lock down since day 18 and though she can access water and is definitely eating food, I am concerned for the effect it might be having on her psysically. She has not been out for nearly a week now, nor has she pooed. Basically, when is enough, enough? How long should I let her continue to sit, before passing it all off as a bad job? I don't know if the eggs are fertile, they are very dark marans eggs and I could barely see inside them, let alone make out what I was seeing. I feel this is all to stressful! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 How locked down do you mean can she leave the nest an coop if she wants to? leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 No she is locked down. She is in a guinea pig hutch, I mean, she can get up and move around if she wants to, but she doesn't, she also definitely hasn't been out.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Hold the eggs to your ear to see if there is any cheeping. If not, give them a gentle shake - you will hear a sloshing or rattling sound if they are duds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I would open the hutch door so she can go out and stretch her legs and go to the loo if you give her no choice but to sit on the eggs she wont beable to leave them if they are duff my broodys dont go into lock down they all have their own houses and runs to the outside they can come and go as they like leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 Well, it is about a two metre long hutch and I don't have a partition between the nest and the rest so she can get off the nest and stretch her legs if she wants, but I just know she hasn't, before I locked her down I would have the door of it open for a while in the evening and let her come out of the hutch for a walk around the back garden, but she isn't willing to try that. Blummin' hatching! It's too stressful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
