Brooding Hen

[Sumption4]

I have a hen brooding, she is close to her 21 days I believe. This is her second time brooding, and neither time she would get in the nesting boxes. This time she gathered her eggs and her “friends” in the corner and had faithfully stayed on them and keeping them under her well. Until the other day, she moved them down the building some and has a couple she doesn’t seem to be keeping under her as well. Should I be concerned about this? What can I do to save the chicks? I know there is chicks in the eggs because I had candled each one.

 

[slordaz]

I have a hen brooding, she is close to her 21 days I believe. This is her second time brooding, and neither time she would get in the nesting boxes. This time she gathered her eggs and her “friends” in the corner and had faithfully stayed on them and keeping them under her well. Until the other day, she moved them down the building some and has a couple she doesn’t seem to be keeping under her as well. Should I be concerned about this? What can I do to save the chicks? I know there is chicks in the eggs because I had candled each one.

a mother hen will abandon eggs like that if the chick has died inside or she senses something is seriously wrong with it, most likely the chicks died in shell that's why she moved the others to avoid an exploding egg contaminating the nest and other eggs

 

[Mvan42]

If there is movement and you want to try. Do you have an incubator you can incubate them, but first candle make sure there is movement and the right amount of development for the day.

 

[Sumption4]

I candled them again when I noticed she had moved them. There is the right amount of growth. Today I did notice a foul smell, and there was yolk on a couple of the eggs. But I didn’t see any cracked shells. So that’s why I am puzzled. I have never hatched chicks in the hen house before. The last time she only sat on 3 and two of the chicks lived

 

[Mvan42]

She may not have been able to cover them all if she had several. And those are the ones which could have stopped. Did you see movement in them at all

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Sometimes it is best to let her handle it, as she will get better the more she does it...