Help!! New to Hatching chicks!

lindsayh1018

Hatching
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I have a broody hen that I got some fertilized eggs for... She's been on them for 2 weeks. Do I need to separate her and the eggs before they hatch? Or wait till they hatch? I guess my question and worry is the other chickens will hurt the babies!
 
I usually isolate my broody hen (within view of the flock) during incubation, hatching and for 4 days after hatching. This reduces the risk of the flock harming newly hatched chicks that may wander off while the hen is hatching the remaining eggs. If the hatch occurs within a 24-hour time span, this risk is pretty low as the chicks will typically stay with mom the whole time.

To be on the safe side, you could erect a temporary barrier around the nest until the chicks are a few days old, then let mom integrate them into the flock. I've never had a problem with the flock attacking chicks when I've let mom integrate them around 4 to 5 days of age, as the chicks have gained their footing and the mother hen is VERY protective of them when they're that young. If you wait until the chicks are several weeks old, she may be done mothering them and they'll have no protection when integrated into the flock.

Best of luck with the hatch! It's an absolute delight watching hens with their chicks.
 
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