longest incubation?

[Shallishanti]

I've had so called fertile eggs under a broody for 26 days....one hatched but didn't survive, what do you think? should I chuck the rest now? she has raised chicks successfully before, and I seem to remember it taking longer than 21 days, but this seems excessive.
will check back later for your words of wisdom, TIA

I'd chuck them - 26 days is too long.

Agree - get rid of them before the warm weather affects them. She may lay a few more.

I think they're done. I had a chick hatch on day 24 last month, but the rest were DIS.

I've had more than nromal amounts of DIS, I think it must be the lack of humidity.

have you ccandled them? should be able to see what is going on, if they have gone you need to chuck them or they will explode in the heat, but I would deffo candle first just to check.

I think it's a humidity issue, too, Miss. Unnaturally hot and dry this year.

what's DIS?
I gave up today--- I think one may have exploded as she was in a real mess with 2 eggs stuck to her I had to wash her (not popular)
then I decided to check what had happened, so I cracked open the remaining eggs. One was off and smelt awful. One was just wierdly runny. One had a dead chick in it, apparently full grown
So of 8 eggs, only 2 fertile and none succesful. Bit pissed off really. I bought them as we have no cockerel (urban). I don't want to get more, it can't be good for her to sit again, surely?

thanks for your thoughts, anyway, maybe the weather is to blame

DIS is Dead In Shell - basically a fully formed chick that hasn't managed to get out of the shell. I always hate that because it's such a waste

I wouldn't let her sit again - they always lose condition when they're broody - I'd let her recover.

I breed exhibition silkies, if you want some eggs, PM me - we always have loads. It might be worth a go, although the post can interfere with hatching rates.

thats gutting, when I hatched a couple of years ago we had 8 eggs and only 3 hatched, a couple looked like they were full grown, out of the three they were all cockrels so we didnt end up with any of them

We use a Brinsea mini advance incubator. I know it isnt cheap but it is darn easy that i can use it and trust me i am not normally good with technology. it adjusts everything for you, auto turns the eggs and counts down the days. We have had 3 hatches now and out of 7 eggs have had two 5's and a 6. Currently have 7 eggs in there on day 15 so will be hatching out soon.

thanks for the offer, MissB. We have one silkie, ThingOne (there was a ThingTwo once)- strangely she is laying very well this year, after 3-4 years hardly laying. I have a theory that it's because bossy boss bantam died at Christmas so she isn't so intimidated! Anyway, I think I'll give eggs a miss now and maybe get a few POLs in a few weeks. I was really after some hybrids that would lay well in winter, anyway.
At least I haven't had the cockerel problem!
Silkies are great though!- what colour do you have?

I have all the standard colours - white, black, gold, blue and partridge. I do love them a bit too much. I have two blue ones drying in my utility room at the moment for a show. The house smells of a combination of wet chicken and shampoo

Hope you get your POLs sorted.