Hen on too many eggs?

[givemepeacenow]

My hen hatched out 5 chicks, 3 doing great, 1 squished, and one does not seem to be doing great. she still has 10 eggs she is sitting on. Should i remove some so any more that hatch won't get squished or just leave them. this is her first batch. I just think she was sitting on too many. I don't know what to do. The newly hatched one is not tweeting or moving but is breathing and does not seem to be drying out. Should i remove the other chickes so she can concentrate on the new one. Some are 3 day's and 2 day's old. What to do?

 

[ralleia]

Ten remaining eggs isn't bad, though she may have been sitting on too many in the first place. I would not remove them at this point though (when hatching is going on).

I would leave the thriving chicks there--just make sure that there is food and water for all of them. If there is something wrong with the chick that isn't doing well (something that is not fixable by human or chicken), then removing the healthy ones won't do much good. I might consider removing the unhealthy one to try to diagnose it and nurse it along--if you make it better then you can try to return it to the hen once it is healthier.

 

[ralleia]

How many days have those ten eggs been incubated by the hen? Is she still sitting or is she moving around and tending to the chicks?

 

[givemepeacenow]

She was still sitting but i made a huge mistake and removed all but one egg. She went a little nuts....... I put the eggs to incubate under a heat lamp to see if some would still hatch. I took the small chick out and put it under the light for the rest of the day but just now put it back with the mom since things have quieted down and they are sleeping. She was sitting on eggs that were not all hers i know. from now on when i have a momma broody i am going to mark the eggs and remove any new ones others lay while she is eating/drinking. we are proud of the 4 and are great with that. this is her first year. Thanks