Seeking advice as a first timer hatching eggs under broody hen

[Vanessa373]

My broody buff Orpington is sitting on 5 fertilised eggs, she started sitting on 2 so I put 3 more under her 2 days later. It’s my first time hatching chicks!

After reading up on various threads I’ve moved her & the brood box to a separate small coop, next to the free range run.

Will she stay on the nest until all eggs have hatched, even if they are 2 days apart?

Do I need to watch her/intervene for any reason? I’ll be at work during the day so it’s likely the eggs will hatch while I’m not home.

Can I leave her & her babies in the same small coop during the incubation then once their hatched? My intent is to cover the coop with snake mesh to ensure it’s predator proof for the babies. I’ll integrate them into the free range run when they’re older.

Any other tips from those who have hatched before would be great!!

 

[Pine Shavings]

I just did my first hatch of 6 under a broody hen in the fall. My intervention led to 4 of the eggs being broken when the chicks were fully developed. It's soooo hard waiting the 21 days. But do it, she does all the work. I did candle at 11 days. But i think me making her move so i could check on the eggs, see if they were pipping etc. Only look of she moves first. Please wait? Don't make the same mistakes i did. It's hard to deal with dead chicks.

 

[Pine Shavings]

I added 4 other chicks to replace and the mom adopted them right away. She watches them, guards them, shows them how to eat, drink etc. No issues integrated them all with my grown flock. It's worth it in the end, oh! And she provides all the heat so no brooding stuff. I never have to deal with snakes or anything but broody hen js the best way to hatch eggs. And! It's sooo cute watching the mom be the surrogate mom.