Advice needed. Broody hen hatch day

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sahmhomesteader

sahmhomesteader

Chirping
6 Years
Nov 3, 2013
271
17
93
SW Ohio
My broody hatched one chick yesterday morning. I have not lifted her at all for fear of hurting an egg or chick. So yesterday around 3 pm she stood just enough for me to sneak a peak of the 2nd egg. It was pipped and the baby was chirping. It is almost 23 hours later and still no chick. Should I lift my broody to see what is going on or give it more time? Thanks!
 
centrarchid said:
Leave her be. She can stay with late hatching chicks for nearly 48 hours before first hatched need to move.
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bobbi-j said:
x2
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I still had a really bad feeling so I went and lifted my broody. The chick was dead. It had an external pip but got no further. :( I feel like I could have saved it if I would have looked sooner. I do know though that this is probably best. I might have had a high maintenance chick on my hands.
 
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sahmhomesteader said:
I still had a really bad feeling so I went and lifted my broody. The chick was dead. It had an external pip but got no further. :( I feel like I could have saved it if I would have looked sooner. I do know though that this is probably best. I might have had a high maintenance chick on my hands.
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Based on lots of experience with such, chicks requiring help to hatch have cards stacked against them for long-term survival even when helped along. Some, but they are the minority will survive and often need additional coddling.
 
Pooman said:
You did the right thing
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centrarchid said:
Based on lots of experience with such, chicks requiring help to hatch have cards stacked against them for long-term survival even when helped along. Some, but they are the minority will survive and often need additional coddling.
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Thanks. Mama and baby are doing well. Currently mama is teaching baby how to forage. I am just trying to see the joy in these two. There will be more in the future :)
 
Last edited:
Good attitude! You did do the right thing. But then, I'm a "Let Nature take its course" kind of person. I'm very hands-off with my broodies, I put food and water out for them, make sure they have room to stretch their legs, and leave them be. Every now and then (like two or three times during the total incubation period) I'll either lift her a little or peek when she's outside to see how many eggs she has. When it's hatching day I may listen to try to find out if there are any hatched, but I try to leave her alone until day 22 or so. Then I'll see if there are any unhatched eggs and if they are showing any signs of life.
 

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