Chicks have hatched--but broody is still in her trance

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Hey everyone, I've run into something I've never seen before and hope you all can help.

I set four eggs under a broody hen, and they hatched yesterday very early morning on schedule (one didn't hatch, but upon candling it probably wasn't fertile in the first place). The weird thing is that Mama still seems to be in her broody fugue--still flattened over the nest like there are eggs there. She shoves the chicks back underneath if they try to get out. With all the other broodies I've had, they were up and moving and eating and drinking within 12 hours or so of the last egg hatching. But this girl is still stuck tight, more than 24 hours later. I know her chicks can go a day or so without food or water, but this is very odd to me.

Has anyone else had this happen? How soon do I have to go intervene, or put her chicks in a brooder if she's still in her trance and won't snap out of it? Do I shove them all out of the nest, or what?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Let her do her thing. She knows what she's doing.
I imagine it's cold there.

 

[JanO]

What you're experiencing is perfectly normal. I don't think I've ever had a hen come out of that broody trance in under 3 or 4 days. The chicks will be fine and mama will bring them out when she feels the time is right. I'd just leave her alone and let her do her thing.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

She finally came out yesterday evening.

It's so interesting the way different hens behave. Yours stay in their trance for days, but the other broodies that I've had were out of theirs almost before the last egg hatched.

 

[Eggcessive]

Mine have stayed in the trance for a day or so after the hatch started, and are worse if any eggs are left unhatched. I usually get rid of them after two days, but I always take the chicks and dip their beaks into water and food on the second day if she hasn't gotten up just to make sure they know where it is. If she stays sitting, at least the chicks will come out and go to the food and water. By the 3rd day they are always up.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I was wondering the same thing! Thanks for answers!