Hen hatching but house raising.

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She is inside with her 2 diddles. The other two eggs didnt make it :( one still had the full yolk sac inside with it the other had put a hole through the membrane but failed to pip the shell. I am so sad about loosing 2 but the other 2 seem to be very happy and mom and chicks are thrilled to be together.

Quick question how long do the hens usually stay with the chicks after hatching?

There is nothing I could have done about the 2 that didnt hatch right? I was right in leaving them be and opening them wouldnt have saved the chicks right?
 
Last edited:
2BD4C10C said:
She is inside with her 2 diddles. The other two eggs didnt make it :( one still had the full yolk sac inside with it the other had put a hole through the membrane but failed to pip the shell. I am so sad about loosing 2 but the other 2 seem to be very happy and mom and chicks are thrilled to be together.

Quick question how long do the hens usually stay with the chicks after hatching?

There is nothing I could have done about the 2 that didnt hatch right? I was right in leaving them be and opening them wouldnt have saved the chicks right?
Click to expand...
Hens will stay with the chicks can vary quite a bit. Mine usually only mother the chicks till they are about 3.5 to 4 weeks old. By that point, they are feathered in enough to not need her for warmth. Some hens will mother their babes for 8 to 10 weeks. But then there is the issue of reintegration. After being removed from the flock for so long, she will be a 'stranger' to them. This means that she will be too preoccupied reestablishing herself with the flock to bother protecting the chicks. This is why it's best to allow hen brooded chicks to stay with the flock, and not move them inside and isolate the little family. It actually makes things much harder, later on.
 
Before I hatch any more out I have to make some changes to the coop. I honestly didnt expect any to hatch this time and didnt want to hatch but my hubby wanted me to so I did.

Lots more planning in my future.
 

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