Help on hatching two eggs 3 days apart

[paleochick]

I have a hen that has hatched one egg successfully and has one more to hatch (fertile). The chick is just over 24 hours old and I expect the other egg to hatch within 24-48 hours. Is that too long between hatchings for the hen and chicks to do well? Hen is not sitting on egg as much as she was right after the chick hatched.

I don't have an incubator so I can't take the egg and hatch it. Should I continue to encourage the hen to sit on the egg and move the chick to her?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can't make a hen sit on an egg. If you remove the first chick she may go back to setting. Have you candled the remaining egg to see if it's viable?

 

[paleochick]

It is viable and should have hatched within a day of the other egg. I currently have the hen, chick and egg in a large dog crate with a nest box. She does return to the egg frequently with both the egg and chick underneath her. They are all inside the house too with regular temperature and humidity.

I just didn't know how long the hen could be off the egg at a time (right now around 30 mins then back on the egg for 30 minutes - her choice not mine).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hopefully it's enough.

 

[paleochick]

The hen (and chick) are asleep on the egg tonight. Will recheck egg in the AM to see if I hear peeps.

Thanks for all you help!

 

[paleochick]

Today my hen won't leave the egg. Go figure.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Could be it's moving and making noises, hopefully.