[HesterF]

I think this might be the story of my life (or at least my year). I've got two broodies on Orp eggs at the moment. They hit 21 days yesterday (last night to be exact) and from my other successful hatches I'd have expected to see something pipping by now. Nothing yet and I had a quick candle of one lot earlier while the broody was off and they've not pipped internally either. I couldn't see any movement (but this was a quick check) but they just looked a few days short of 'full term' - all looked the same, just not ready to go. So am I just being impatient?

H

[landroverroy]

No, you're not being impatient. They've most likely died at 18 days, which is a quite common point of failure. The 21 day hatching point is normally extremely precise, and usually only goes over if for some reason the incubation temperature is below optimum, and that is very unlikely with a broody.
 Assuming you are correct with your dates, I would carefully open up one egg where the air sac is and see if the embryo looks full size and if there is any movement; which obviously you would detect at this stage. If there's no sign of life, then either check the rest just to make sure, or give them another day and then throw out.   

[in the hills]

Personally I would give them another couple of days.


We have found that there can be slight variations in hatching times under broody hens. Our Pekin eggs often hatch at 20 days and we had some large fowl eggs hatch at 23 days last year. We had all but given up on them but 5 out of the 6 went on to hatch.


It shouldn't be too detrimental to the hen to sit for another day or two just to be certain.

[HesterF]

Thanks both. I've just candled again - now it's dark - and no change but still not clear one way or another. Certainly no big movements but it's tough to tell when you rotate them whether the inside is moving because of me or because of them! I also thought I could hear some peeping but no idea which egg since none had obviously internally pipped so it may have been my imagination. One had clearly gone so I've cracked that one open and it was little - guess it died a week ago (small but perfectly formed).

The only thing I can think is that both hens are sitting on a metal base - it's the sort of tray you can pull out to clean (or not since I presume it normally blocks). They both have a good depth of shavings but have chosen to push those aside so the eggs are straight on the base. Maybe this makes a difference to the temperature the eggs are at?

It's just weird if they have died why eleven separate eggs, under two different broodies in different houses, would all have died at the same stage (they do all still look identical). I'm clutching onto 23 days as a possibility 

H

[doganjo]

I would say they are not keeping warm enough.  They may die or just be slow in hatching.  Leave them another few days unless you need the space for something else. And next time put a sheet of wood or cardboard under the nest to [protect them from the cold metal

[chrismahon]

If the eggs are slightly cold they will hatch late Hester. We had eggs 3 days late in a Suro 20. As Doganjo says, you need to cover that metal base with some insulating material. Our broodies have little coops with 12mm plywood floors.

[HesterF]

Update. Two had pipped this morning and are on their way out.  they'll make it - just checked and they're the peepers I heard last night. The other broody has abandoned. I opened up the end of one of her eggs, no movement inside but when I checked further, chick was still alive (but since died since I'd cracked half it's egg open). Very weak though - even before it died - which was why I could see no movement when candling. I've transferred all the unpipped eggs to the incubator in some vain hope. Oh, and contacted the breeder to see if he has any more for attempt two.

I know everybody says broodies are best and certainly when it comes to brooding they're much easier but over a fairly limited number of broods this year, the incubator has proved way better at hatching. So attempt two will be in an incubator.....

H

[shygirl]

a properly run incy has a much better hatch rate than a broody.
good luck. i found that you could tell by weight or feel if the eggs had failed.

[HesterF]

All is not lost. The two that had pipped are out - took one into the incubator at one point because he'd got a bit cold outside (think he was not entirely under the broody) but he's perked up and is back under her now. And now a third has pipped in the incubator and at least one other is still active. It's not quite the huge hatch I had planned but it's a whole lot better than I was expecting yesterday. Interestingly I had three different colours of eggs - buff, lavender and blue/splash - and the three to pip so far have all been blue/splash whereas buff were the ones I lost most of earlier on. I wonder whether there are some colours that are just better fighters than others......

[chrismahon]

Will be down to the health or age of the parents probably HesterF.

[Padge]

Be interesting to see how ours fair Hesterf       we have orps in an incy just now    blue and lavender   wonder if we got them from same place 

[HesterF]

Five out in the end - three blue, two lavender. Blues all looking perky (despite one being found under the ramp last night and having an emergency incubator transfer). Lavenders hatched yesterday with help - I was really getting impatient - and are therefore more wobbly but it's a lovely warm day so they're all out with the broody  .

Padge, I got them from Keith's Orps by post. I got some pullets from him last year (including current broody) and he has lovely breeding stock. The fertility was great too - it was my end that was problematic. I'll put him on the hatching egg thread when I get a chance (lots of Qs to answer).

H

[Padge]

well this last hatch weren't from him  but we did buy some Orpington bantam hatching eggs from him