Hen hatched chick and moved to another next

[Vickir73]

I had a hen hatch her first egg Tuesday (it's my first hatched egg too !!! and I don't know how she did it but she took the chick and moved to another next box (18inches below the next she was on, with no ramp or anything connecting the next boxes) and was sitting on unfertilized eggs. I removed the eggs from underneath her (they were not fertile) and put the fertile eggs back underneath her. (1) I don't know if the fertilized eggs got too cold and might have died from the time she got off until the time I put them back underneath her (2) I don't see her up with the chick showing the chick how to eat and drink. I did put water in the box with her and the chick and dunked the chick's beak in the water (and it did go back later and get some more). Will she be a mom to the chick while she is still sitting on eggs? Should I go ahead and take the eggs from her? and how in the world did she move that chick?? The eggs in the picture were the ones I took away from her.

 

[Judy]

Usually the mama keeps the hatched chicks under her for a day or so, then abandons any unhatched eggs and shows the chick where food and water are, takes them out to forage, etc. Some people have hatched some of the remiaining eggs on a heating pad or whatever. The chicks live off absorbed yolk at first, for up to 3 days. I wouldn't put food or water in the nest, I'd let her do whatever comes naturally. If there is several days age difference, she may very well reject later chicks, anyway.

Usually people collect the eggs they want hatched separately from the mama for this reason -- just keep them on the kitchen counter, ideally for up to a week, then mark them with a Sharpie and put them under her all at once. They should hatch closely enough together that she will hatch most or all of them.

 

[kim764]

I just had this happen. My hen hatched two eggs on Monday. today is Thursday and and she has left her many unhatched eggs to show the new little ones how to eat etc.

I gathered the eggs today and could her chirping out of one or two of them. I placed them in a box filled with shredded paper and put a heating pad on top of the eggs. One egg has a small peck hole in it.

I am trying this for the first time so I'm hoping I get atleast one or two new hatchlings. Anyone know if this can or should be successful?

Thanks

 

[Vickir73]

I wouldn't wonder as much if she would have left the eggs in her next, but she moved herself and her chick to another next to sit on different eggs. . .