HELP PLEASE!! Silkie on nest/eggs starting to hatch

[keckhart]

]Hi all! You all are so knowledgable I have two questions I need answered right away PLEASE

My 8 Mo old silkie hen Bubbles is sitting on her first clutch an they are starting to hatch right now. She is siting on them. Will she crush them?? Should I remove the ones that are starting to hatch? If some hatch before others will she abandon the rest? We made her a special broody coop with her own space with her and her eggs so no one can bother her.

Please advise I don't want any chicks to die from being crushed!!

 

[boyswillbeboys]

a good mama won't crush the babies, watch closely if you feel the need, but she is built for it, and silkies have a reputation for being very good mama hens. congrats on the babies

 

[donrae]

Momma hens have been hatching chicks for thousands of years. Relax, and let her do her job....she'll be good at it.

Once chicks start to hatch, momma pretty much stays on the nest for the next 48ish hours. This time allows all the chicks to hatch. The first hatched chicks just hang out under or around her. They don't need to eat or drink for 48 hours after they hatch, so she can stay and finish lettine everyone hatch. Once she leaves the nest, she's done. That's when I clear out all the shells and any unhatched eggs. She'll then show them to eat and drink, and be on and off the nest for the next few days brooding them. She'll gradually be up more and more often, showing them things to eat, letting them explore, etc.

 

[Stiggy]

As said above Silkies are great mothers, they are known for it. unlike other big breed hens she wont crush them in a clumsy moment. but as is the way of life over time you will loose a chick here or there. make sure her food dish and water dish arnt to steep or deep as the chicks would get trapped and drown, also make sure there isn't any space that the chicks could squeeze out of or other predators can squeeze in.