Have a barred rock hen that went broody a few weeks back. So far, she has stepped on or crushed 5 eggs that appear to have gone full term in the incubation process. All 5 chicks dead. Three more were just starting to break out this morning. When she gets back on the nest, she carelessly walks across them???? Is that normal? There are only 9 eggs left, 6 of them unhatched. I helped break these 3 free a bit so they had a better chance of getting up an around before she crushes them. All 3 are 3/4 of the way out of their shell, chirping and seem to be doing well so far. Should I remove them and place them in their own separate pen with a light?
I guess it depends on how closely you can monitor all this. Some broodies are just better mamas than others. I have seen them walk all over the eggs and I have seen them carefully step over them. Brooding them separately would no doubt be safer -- but she may do just fine with them, once they are hatched.
