Broody hatching early

[JimnTer]

I have a broody hen setting on 6 Rouen duck eggs and 3 mixed breed bantam chicken eggs. Day 28/21 is this Saturday, the 9th.When I went out to feed this morning, one of the chicks had just hatched ( still very wet). Hopefully she stays on the nest long enough to hatch the rest of them. If not, I have another broody that just started to set on Tuesday and I will move the remaining eggs to her nest.

I`m wondering if I take the chicks away, if it will encourage her to continue to set? I haven't had one hatch this early before.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My broody hens usually stay on the nest 2-3 days after hatching begins. That being said, your chicky was real early! I think I would take the little early bird to the brooder, then return it in the evening once the other babies are finished hatching. I'm not sure how your broody set up is, but my hens do their sitting and hatching in separated areas inside the coop. Some of these areas are simply small wooden crates with a wire lip attatched at the bottom to keep the chicks from falling out when they're new-so they're pretty much just big enough for the hen and her nest, feeder and waterer (with a tiny bit of space separating the nest and food area). Bigger hens get bigger cages, but most of my broody spots are little, so the hens really have no choice but to sit on their nest, they dont have to get up to show the chicks food and water so they can continue to sit on any unhatched egglets in their nest (they do have to get up to go to the bathroom though, but they usually just come out and do their business right outside the box-which is not so awesome b/c then I have to spot clean broody bombs

). Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to do!

P.S- we love fluffy baby pics on BYC!

 

[JimnTer]

Well apparently she is a super efficient hen. She has hatched 2 chicks so far and at least one of the ducklings has pipped through it's shell. I tried to get some pictures for you, but my camera was not cooperating. By the time I got it working right, the hen was getting pretty worked up, so I decided to forget it for now. I will try again tommorow.

 

[JimnTer]

 

[JimnTer]

For some reason I wasn't able to add any text when I put the pictures up. The first picture is one of the chicks and one of the ducklings, the duckling is still a little wet. The second picture is "mom" on the nest. As of this morning all 6 ducklings have hatched and 2 of the chicks. One of the chicks didn't make it through the night unfortunately.