Broody hatched 1 yesterday. Still sitting on 3 eggs

[kiplingchick]

Ya'll were so kind and helpful to this nervous firstimer yesterday!

Momma hen is taking good care of her one chick that hatched. She's still diligently sitting on 3 more eggs. How long should I give them? I never candled, just left things up to nature and the momma hen. Will she just "know" if and when the remaining eggs are not going to hatch?

thanks!

 

[gryeyes]

If it's her first time broody and hatching, no, she might not.

I had a first-timer momma pullet hatch several chicks but only one survived. She was still sitting on more eggs, so I took them from her and put them in an incubator "just in case" (I'll candle tonight). As soon as the rest of the eggs were gone, she took her chick out to raise. Otherwise I think she would have continued to sit on 'em and not take care of her baby.

But of course, I am no expert. It's just what I've noticed with young pullets who go broody.

 

[kiplingchick]

thank you!

I took her chick out for a moment and got it to drink. I suppose I'll remove the other eggs in the morning if there's no activity :/

 

[kiplingchick]

checked on momma this evening and there was baby #2!

 

[gryeyes]

Yay!!!!