Chick hatched early with hen what should I do?

[Kasey]

I have four broody hens right now. One hen has already hatched her eggs last Saturday, and the next hen was due to hatch her three this coming Monday.

Well, yesterday one of her three hatched (on day 18) and she has two left to hatch. We also have a Banty hen (2 eggs) and another full sized hen sitting on 3 eggs that should hatch Wednesday.

We are concerned that the hen is either going to continue setting and the baby will starve or she is going to leave the eggs.

My options are:

1. leave her and see what happens and hope the other two hatch soon (they have been candled and are fertile).

2. Try to put the new chick with the hen who has week old chicks.

3. Or put the Banty's two eggs under the other hen with eggs due to hatch this wednesday and then put the two eggs that are left under the hen with the early chick under the Banty and let her hatch them.

Not sure which is the best option here. All hens except the Banty are first timers.

Any advice?

 

[mulelover1999]

Is there any way you could put food and water in the nest with your hen? That what I did with all my broodies. That way your hen and the chick have access to food and water.

 

[Kasey]

The nesting box she is in isn't big enough to put food and water in but I could put her in a dog crate with food and water.

 

[mulelover1999]

That May disturbed her. You could try putting a small container of water in there and wait a couple days? If the eggs haven't hatched then you may want to move her. The chick can last 2-3 days with no food. If you feel like it my take longer for the eggs to hatch then you probably should move her. I think my biggest concern right now would be your hen not getting food and water. The other thing is if you move her she may not stay on the eggs.

 

[Kasey]

We actually put food and water on the rails outside the box today and she did eat and drink. But the chick can't reach them.

 

[mulelover1999]

I would give the other eggs until tomorrow or late tomorrow night then move her if they haven't hatched. Broody hens don't really like to be moved so if you have any other way to get food and water to her then I would try that before you move her.

 

[Kasey]

I will have to see what I can come up with. Maybe the eggs will hatch soon. That will make it all easier! :-/ Dern chickens!

 

[Kasey]

Update: I just went out and checked her and one of the eggs is pipped and I rechecked my math and I believe I was a day behind and today should be day 21!

praying they both hatch today!

 

[Kasey]

Both eggs have pipped now!! Yay!

 

[Kasey]

Well momma has decided that it was better to get out and feed her first little than to continue sitting on her pipping eggs.

This will now be the momma of the pipping eggs and we have her two eggs to the fourth hen with eegs due the same as her originals.

Luckily we were home and had just peeked in on them 5 mins before. They weren't left unattended long at all.