Can it take more than 21 days for chicken eggs to hatch?

Question

I've heard that it takes 21 days for eggs to hatch but my hen has been sitting on her eggs for 25 days now. Today I broke one egg open and the chick was formed and had feathers but it looked like it should still be a while before they hatched. Could something be wrong?

Answer 1

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21 is just the average number of days for a chicken egg to hatch. They can go a few days longer or shorter.
Hens take a good two weeks to lay their desired number of eggs and then they begin to sit. So, the first two or so weeks can not be counted toward the 21 days.
I'm sure the chicks will hatch within the next week and a half. And boy will they be cute! Good luck.

Source(s):

Poultry shower.
Incubating 34 bantam eggs right now.

Answer 2

give it at least 30 days,sniff each egg for ones that are rotten
she could have laid additional eggs after starting to sit or other hens could have entered the nest. If she is still sitting broody let her go.

Source(s):

Lives on a ranch

Answer 3

21 days isn't meant to be taken quite so literally it's the average amount of time the eggs take some will be longer some will be quicker.
Give it a couple of days more if nothing has happened by then, then sadly nothing most likely will.