Drama in the chicken house

 Heard in the chicken house last night;

ME : "Do you remember when you put the eggs under Mrs. White?" (2 eggs from the big hens)

Mom:  "No I thought I wrote it down. Maybe we should candle them to see if anything's happening." 

We got out the drop light and retrieved the brown eggs from a grumpy hen. 

Mom:  "Do you see anything?"

ME:    "I can't see anything. Shouldn't we see something through the shell?"

Mom:  "Oh my God! The shell just cracked!"

ME :   "What!!"

Mom:  "I think it peeped!" Holds the egg to my ear.

ME:    "It's peeping! It's peeping!" 

Mom: "Look, look there's a beak!" A triangle of shell breaks off as a small beak pushes out.

A few minutes later after much giggling from us, the chick broke off another chunk of shell

So the answer to my original question; Mrs. White's been on the nest for about 21 days.  As of this morning the chick is still working it's way out the shell. Mrs White is being extremely protective of the egg, she hissed and pecked at Buck when he put his face in her feathers. Buck likes to rub his face in her tail feathers. What can I say the dog like soft things. Mrs. White usually tolerates it while she's on the nest.

I think these eggs are from my Rhode Island Reds. So the odds are good for a golden brown chick. Of course the father is Mr. Fancy-Pants (Partridge Cochin) so who knows what will come out.

FYI - How to make a homemade egg candler  - this also has info about what to look for - which is no help at all if your chick is actually hatching!