Eggs hatching at different times---how might my hen react?

[btpeters]

Right now I have 12 eggs under my buff. 11 are two days apart in their "due date", and one is the lone survivor from a previous clutch that met their end from my 2 year old---long, ugly story... But that one survivor is due to hatch about 2 weeks before the other 11. So I'm wondering if the hen will stop sitting on the 11 eggs to mother the one that will hatch early. Does anyone have any clue or guess as to what may happen?

And regardless of that one early egg, what about the rest of the group spaced 2 days apart? Will she keep sitting for 2 more days until all the eggs are hatched? Thanks for any input. I really don't know what to expect here.

 

[Smithx9]

I had 5 hens to go broody at one time. When the first eggs began hatching, I took the chicks and placed them with one hen, and put her eggs in another nest. She ended up babysitting 23 chicklets....The other hens are still sitting on eggs....they will end up sitting for about 6 weeks total!! As they were sitting, my other hens were depositing!! When the second batch of chicks began hatiching out, I took them and gave them to one of the other broodys...again, I dispersed her eggs to the other hens.

They are very determined. The remaining eggs should hatch out in about a week...about...

I think your hen will keep sitting, but she may kick the chick out of the nest. You will have to be Mama...the chick will be fine. Just make sure you introduce it to water and to chick starter. And of course keep it warm (I don't have that worry here with my new babies....it is very warm!)

 

[jrhodes]

I had a broody hen that was sitting on 13 eggs. The eggs hatched over a period of 14 days. The chicks would sit in the nest with the moma and also run around in the pen for a little while. When I would walk up to the pen she would make a strange noise and they would come running and jump in the nest with her. After all the eggs hatched it was so funny watching all the chicks sitting in the nest with their heads sticking out everywhere.