2 Hens sitting on same eggs

[Brie6895]

Ok I have two chickens a Silkie and a Cochin who are sitting on 5 eggs. They take turns not voluntarily with who gets to sit on them. They are in the corner of my coop and I can not reach them without climbing inside which I choose to leave them alone for the most part.

Unfortunely I never really kept track of when I noticed them sitting. I do know it was within a week of me setting mine inside which has been a month so they are around the 3 3 1/2 week mark (I'm guessing)

First it was originally my Silkie sitting on the eggs and my Cochin decided she wanted those eggs so here were are in a battle of the mothers. So far I have had one adorable little fuzz ball hatch. (Around monday) but i left her in there thinking others would be soon to follow. My worry is what I should do about the baby and hopefully the others that should be hatching. I already have another mom and baby in my smaller coop and I have a brooder with the two chicks that survived my incubating fiasco.

Should I bring the little one inside with my others. Or leave her in the coop with the two moms and 4 other chickens?

I have this huge knot in my stomach about taking her away from her moms and I want to know what most of y'all do about this?

I will say the little chick I left a month ago who hatched out of no where was left in with the mom but moved to another coop. Well its not that friendly and I'm worried its because I don't spend as much time down there, if I had brought him inside maybe they would have grown more attached to me.

Hope this isn't dragging or confusing anyone but today the chick is 4 days old and I'm giving y'all some background on the whole long situation.

 

[Brie6895]

Also now they mothers are out into the run with the other chickens and are no longer sitting on the other eggs does this mean they didn't make it? Should I bring them in and put them in bator?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I would leave the chick with them, if they're doing a good job taking care of it.

And, you should probably candle those eggs to see what's going on with them. If you see movement, pop them in the incubator and let them finish up. They may not have all been set at the same time and lots of hens just won't wait once there's a baby to take care of.

Good luck!

 

[Brie6895]

I would leave the chick with them, if they're doing a good job taking care of it.

And, you should probably candle those eggs to see what's going on with them. If you see movement, pop them in the incubator and let them finish up. They may not have all been set at the same time and lots of hens just won't wait once there's a baby to take care of.

Good luck!

Well since this post I threw in the eggs into the bator and I now have two twin babies!

The little one is still outside but I'm having a hard time keeping the water dish clean for in. Everytime I go down there the bigger chicks have knocked it over or its completely covered with dirt. That's my main concern with it now.

 

[Howlet]

i'd personally take the chick inside with the rest... especially if you have other hens.....