What to expect if broody hen gets a hatch

The babies should feed and water themselves if you have food and water available, and IF mama doesn't insist they stay under her until she is done. She may or may not, it varies from hen to hen. However, they cannot protect themselves so they have to be kept in a safe, nonescapable area, away from other grown chickens. Also, as I said before, you may need to put a heat lamp in for them if they cannot fit under the mom with the other eggs or if she won't let them.

As for the smushed chicks/eggs, it does sound like she is not sitting delicately enough and is squishing them. Most broodies will keep themselves slightly lifted when the eggs are hatching so as not to smash or suffocate them. But some just don't seem to have the coordination for it. I have an australorp that's like that. If you have an incubator, then I would take the eggs and finish them in the incubator if it were me. Let her relax and take care of the bub.

If a hen goes broody once, chances are they will do so again. How often just depends on the hen. Some of mine go broody once or twice a year, others go broody again almost as soon as they finishing raising the last set.
 
Just wanted to add - don't be hard on yourself for the staggered hatch. It is a very common and easy to make mistake for first time broody hatchers. I know I did it. The only reason I didn't lose the later babies was because I had a hen who joined the broody party late and was willing to finish hatching the chicks. The first 3 broodies who were sitting them first, tried to kill the later chicks as they hatched. Luckily, I was there and was able to snatch them out and move them and Mama Star to a separate box. Anyway, you just deal with the cards you have at the time, and learn more to do better next time. Isn't that how all of life goes pretty much? This will all work out one way or another, and you'll be more prepared next time she goes broody.
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Thank you. I feel much better about all of this. So disappointing to think I saw that hatching chick and it was chirping away then she rolled the egg back under her... She had been on it - but not all the way on it. Seemed so sad when I came out today and saw that it was crushed. Then there was that first chick....health and very active but seems to be gone now. You are right that if/when I get another broody I'll have a much better idea of what to do ... I really have felt like a failure today. What about those last eggs? I don't have an incubator, so that isn't an option. Don't even know someone who has one. Should I take them away? I a bit worried about the length of time she's been sitting now. Thanks again for your response...you really did make me feel a bit better.
 
So, am I understanding correctly that she has no live chicks now? You still haven't located the first one? Hmmm. Well, if she currently has no live hatched babies, then you can leave her sitting on the eggs to hopefully finish hatching them. As long as she seems strong and healthy, she should be fine. Especially if you have food and water nearby. I think what makes it so hard on them is that they often get up for only a short period of time each day. So their food and water intake is pretty drastically reduced. However, if you provide food and water right next to her, then she should eat and drink all she needs. I also like to give my broodies treats at least every other day to keep up their strength. I give them fresh garden produce, BOSS, oatmeal with milk or yogurt, or whatever I can come up with at the time that will be a healthy snack.

I can't seem to recall if you said you separated her from the rest of the flock? If not, then I would suggest doing that at this point. It is possible the baby slipped out and the other hens killed it. It is also possible she could be getting harassed and that is what could be making her smash the eggs.

I understand how disappointing it is to have one about to come out and you are so excited to see it, only to find it dead when you check next. I was devastated when it happened with my australorp, and of course one of the smashed ones was the one I was most excited to see hatch. I hope things work out and you can get some cute fluffies to ooh and aah over soon.
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She is separated but its possible the baby could have gotten out. She's in a dog crate which I covered with a tarp so she has some privacy. She also has food and water. In fact, I saw her pull the food dish up close to her so she could eat and push it away when she was done. Of course, she can't do that with the water, but she has been drinking plenty of it. Good idea about the treats. I guess I'll let her go a bit longer as long as she seems okay. Thanks again for all your input.
 
Well, I seem to have a broody disaster on my hands. But first, its my understanding the hens don't actually "feed" the chicks. In fact, every time I buy chicks, they are two days old and seem to feed themselves just fine. So, I don't know what is different for chicks who have a mother. Do they wait for her to show them food and water? I just don't know how that works. Now, for my cautionary tale: I just let my hen sit on eggs. She was on them for several days before I realized they weren't all hers. Afraid to disturb her nest, I left it alone. On Wednesday she hatched one healthy happy chick. I moved them to a safer location and both seemed content and settled right in. I also put food (chick starter) and water in that location so they didn't need to leave and look for it. That was the last time I saw that chick, although I did hear it a few times. Yesterday, there was a half-hatched and bloody egg in there. I removed it. Later yesterday, I could here a lot of peeping. I sat in the hen house for quite some time and my hen stood up to reveal a partially hatched chick peeping away. She tucked it under her and I left. Today, I found that chick also never made it out of the shell. This time, no bleeding, but dead none-the-less. She still has some eggs under her. I'm thinking she is literally smothering them as they try to hatch. She has also been sitting for 25 days now. Should I take the rest of the eggs away from her? Is she likely to go broody again sometime? I was so happy to see this happen and admittedly naive about how to take care of it. Right now, I just need to know what to do right now. Any help is greatly appreciated, as always.
At this stage in my opinion I would let her set. "I" would just Stop looking under her----as I stated before this can affect her hatch.

To answer your question, sure the chicks eat the food themself, but most of the time they will not leave the nest till mother leaves the nest. Mother does not want to leave the nest when she can hear a unhatched chick because she knows getting off the eggs will affect their hatch.

I do not like to feed them in the hatching nest and Don't, but with your situation---I might think about it. All my hens do not get off the nest the last 2/3 days to eat, nor do they poop in the nest---or I have never seen any. They will drop of a Mother Load as soon as they come of the nest with the chicks though.

One thing I want to say is I am a one finger typer----when I type a Looooong paragraph it takes time----The only reason I take the time is to try and help. Do not feel bad----you did not know-----Most all of us had to learn in the beginning----I still learn every day and I have set ALOT of hens----33 this season alone(just set the 33rd one). Its so much fun when you do it with more knowledge/experience. If you got questions---We/I am glad to try and answer them for you.
 
Thank you. What kind of hens do you have? I've had chickens for about 5 years now and this is my first broody. This year was also my first time getting Buff Orphington chicks..my broody is one of them. Before that...RIR, Isa Browns, Dominiques and Auracanas. (looks like I didn't spell these too well) - with no broody hens. I will leave her alone and hope for the best. You're right...live and learn, learn, learn.
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I have d'uccles, bantam cochins (varied colors), australorps, EEs, lavender orps, SFH, RIRxEE crosses, and RIRxAustralorp crosses. 2 of the 3 d'uccles go broody about twice a year. 2 of the 3 cochins I swear go broody every single time they even LOOK at an egg.
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I have 1 australorp that goes broody about once a year (the one who smashed the zipping eggs), and one RIRxEE that goes broody about twice a year. So far the cochins and the EE cross make the best mothers out of mine. The orps won't be a year old until NYD, so I'm hoping at least one of them will go broody next spring. The SFH might too, they are only about 6-7 months old and not laying very long.
 
Thank you. What kind of hens do you have? I've had chickens for about 5 years now and this is my first broody. This year was also my first time getting Buff Orphington chicks..my broody is one of them. Before that...RIR, Isa Browns, Dominiques and Auracanas. (looks like I didn't spell these too well) - with no broody hens. I will leave her alone and hope for the best. You're right...live and learn, learn, learn.
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My Main hens that set often are game hens, followed by close 2 year old yellow buff then a few mixed breeds Rarely having a Rhode Island Red to go broody. I got some adult silkies a couple/three months ago----LOL they rarely do anything other than be broody. As far as Hens I have alot of other breeds, but have not had them long enough to see if they are going to be the Broody type. I been hatching hundreds and hundreds of eggs in the last few months in the incubator as well as the broody hens. I do like the Game hens---I call them hatching hens. I am planning to add more of them and more hatching pens---they operate on "Solar" instead of electricity LOL. If you got questions, just ask---we will try to answer them for you. Good Luck with Your Future hatches.
 
My Main hens that set often are game hens, followed by close 2 year old yellow buff then a few mixed breeds Rarely having a Rhode Island Red to go broody. I got some adult silkies a couple/three months ago----LOL they rarely do anything other than be broody. As far as Hens I have alot of other breeds, but have not had them long enough to see if they are going to be the Broody type. I been hatching hundreds and hundreds of eggs in the last few months in the incubator as well as the broody hens. I do like the Game hens---I call them hatching hens. I am planning to add more of them and more hatching pens---they operate on "Solar" instead of electricity LOL. If you got questions, just ask---we will try to answer them for you. Good Luck with Your Future hatches.
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Operate on "solar". Love it!!
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