Always set eggs under a broody hen within a week of her becoming broody. Few hens will stay on the nest forever and most will leave the nest after 3.5-4 weeks when the eggs haven't hatched.
The incubation period for chicken eggs is 20 to 21 days, and increases up to 30 days for other poultry. After sitting for some days, a broody hen can be given some newly hatched chicks and, if they are accepted, the original eggs can be removed and replaced with more chicks.
If there are still unhatched eggs at day 21, don't despair. It is possible that timing or temperature went slightly awry, so give the eggs until Day 23. Candle any unhatched eggs to see if they are still alive before discarding them. Keep in mind that when hatching eggs, you will likely end up with roosters.
Broodiness can continue long beyond three weeks, resulting in negative health consequences to the hen and problems for the flock. A hen cannot be induced to brood, nor will taking eggs away from her discourage brooding.
If there are no fertile eggs available or the broody sits on an empty nest, broodiness can continue long beyond three weeks, resulting in negative health consequences for her and problems for other hens. A broody eats, drinks and eliminates waste once or twice a day at most.
When a hen has an egg stuck inside her oviduct, she is referred to as being egg bound. Egg binding is a life-threatening condition that must be addressed quickly, preferably by a experienced poultry veterinarian. If the egg is not passed within 24-48 hours, the hen is likely to perish.
While a hen is broody and sitting on a nest, she will put all her energy in to sitting on eggs, and neglect herself in the process. She will only leave the nest to eat, drink, and relieve herself once or twice a day.
After 21 days, she should stop; however, sometimes she won't, and she will need 'breaking' using the methods outlined above. However, if you use the 'breaking' methods above, your hen should only stay broody for a few days. Once they return to normal, the egg-laying should start again within several days.
Chicken eggs should hatch 21 days after they first start in an incubator. (Remember that your eggs have already been incubated for 14 days before you receive them!) Other bird species have different incubation times. For instance, duck eggs take 28 days to hatch; goose eggs take 30 days.
If you suspect a clutch will not hatch, we recommend waiting four weeks past the expected hatch date before removing the eggs.
The longest incubation was recorded in the case of an egg of the mallee fowl (Leipoa ocellata), Australia, which took 90 days to hatch, compared with its normal 62 days.
If a chicken's eggs do not hatch, she may continue sitting on them for an extended period, typically up to 21-28 days. This period is known as the incubation period, during which the chicken keeps the eggs warm in the hope of hatching them.
Quick Tip: NEVER REMOVE UNHATCHED EGGS FROM A NEST UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY 200% SURE THE NEST IS ABANDONED, OR ALL OTHER EGGS HATCHED OVER THREE DAYS EARLIER. Not all eggs in a nestbox always hatch. In Eastern bluebird nests, about 17% of eggs do not hatch.
Calcium deficiency causes a chicken to seek out a supplemental diet of egg shell. Chickens may also eat their eggs due to accidental discovery. If a chicken coop is crowded, a chicken can very easily break an egg. Once the egg is broken, the chicken may begin to eat the yolk and develop a taste for eggs.
Sitting hens should be moved to a special nesting pen as soon as possible. Although some chicken keepers will leave broody hens in the chicken coop, it isn't a good idea because: Chickens will fight over the nesting box, leading to broken eggs or forcing the brooding hen off the nest and letting the eggs get cold.
You will know that your hen is no longer broody as she will no longer fluff her feathers out and when let out she won't hurry to the nest. This may seem cruel but in the long run it can be kinder than allowing her to sit on an empty nest whilst her health deteriorates.
If the hen cannot poop within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, she will likely die. Other effects seen from egg binding are vent prolapse – where the vent hangs out of the rear end and, in severe untreated cases, egg yolk peritonitis which can quickly kill a hen from infection.
The chicken walks a bit like a penguin and looks uncomfortable and distressing. Tail pumping: This is the second cardinal sign for egg binding. She will stand legs apart, squatting low to the ground and start pumping her tail up and down in an effort to lay the egg.
A hen who is struggling with passing an egg will sometimes walk around with her rump and tail down and her body upright. Not every egg-bound hen does this, but if you see it, investigate. A hen who is egg-bound will usually not eat or drink, which quickly leads to death if you don't intervene.
When the hen sits on the eggs, she heats the eggs to 100° F to 101° F. The hen turns the eggs on a regular basis by using her beak to scoop under the egg and roll it toward her. The humidity comes from the environment, the hen's body, and any moisture she transfers back to the nest on her feathers.
Non-Fertile egg, Notice the Germinal spot just above center on the Yolk. It appears as solid white spot. Fertile Egg. Notice the germinal spot looks larger and like a circle in this fertile egg.
“First, for the Day 22 and no hatching chicks situation, it certainly does no harm to leave the eggs alone for another day,” he says. “They possibly could hatch, although it's fairly unusual for eggs to hatch and produce healthy chicks after Day 23.