chick hatched a week early

[nicelydone]

Hi everyone,

I bought a dozen eggs from a breeder (6 malay and 6 marans). One egg hatched a week early (and was the wrong breed - buff cochin I am guessing because of colour and feathered legs). It's now a day before the others are expected to hatch.
I ended up locking the broody and the chick in a smaller box so she wouldnt have a choice but to sit on the eggs (I have been taking them out to feed and water). I dont know if this has worked as I have had at least two deaths in my 'malay' and the last has been pierced a day before hatching (I am not sure if it has died or not).
Anyway, this has been mostly disasterrific and I am not hopeful the chicken will be a great ma even if the others do hatch as she has suddenly become completely aggressive and neurotic but my question is:

Has anyone been in this situation before and if so, what did you do/were you successful?

 

[sumi]

I suspect the early chick's egg got incubated for a few days prior to getting send to you. Is the hen looking after the chick at all? How is she with the chick? If she's showing any aggression towards the chick I'd start putting together a brooder and put it in there, then keep an eye on any further hatches and remove the chicks if needed. Broody hens are unpredictable creatures at best and can sometimes go a bit nutty. But I hope it will work out well for you.

 

[nicelydone]

Yeah, i thought extra incubation for the other egg.
She is fine with the chick (although she doesn't have a gentle touch) and she tolerated and sort of settled on the eggs for the last few days but again, a lot less gentle. Some started pipping and she kept kicking and picking at the holes in the eggs so I have removed them. I will put them back when they are fluffy and a bit less wobbly and see how she goes with them.