When to call it quits on broody hen's eggs?

cmchickens

Chirping
5 Years
Jul 9, 2014
239
27
88
Bigfork, Montana
I've got a broody hen that I gave some eggs to on February 4th. I thought she failed to hatch any, come day 21 (Feb. 25th), but this afternoon I heard a "cheep cheep" under her. I watched her for a bit and saw one cute little fluffy butt. I'm pretty sure that there is only one chick. She has 2 more eggs under her that were developing on day 14 (the only day I candled). How long do I wait to pull her remaining eggs? I thought it was odd that the baby came on day 23. In my incubator hatches I have had chicks a day early, but never two days late.
 
Provide her with some finely ground crumbles and water so she can show baby how to eat and let her decide. Hens are good at making these decisions despite what you read on here a lot. If the eggs go bad she will probably kick them out. 90% of broodies will do that.

I wouldn't be surprised if all have hatched already. They tend to stay very tightly under mama.
 

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