Hen sitting on clutch way back under porch.

[ChixieStampede]

I'm a first time chicken-keeper. My young flock of hens and roosters are free-rangers during the day, and I shut them up in the chicken house every evening after they roost. 20 nights ago, Matilda wasn't in the roost. The next morning I found her in the farthest corner underneath the porch, which is 14 feet back to the corner, so I can't reach her. With a flashlight, I could tell she was sitting on a clutch of eggs. She has been a real trooper, usually coming out only once a day to eat and drink. Tomorrow should be the day the eggs start hatching. I'm wondering if there is anything I should be doing? Should I fill the chick feeder and waterer and push them as far under the porch as I can (maybe with a broom stick)? Will the other hens and roosters bother the baby chicks? Will she bring them out from under the porch right away? There is only about a foot of clearance from the underside of the porch floor to the ground so I can't possibly get to them. I want to do what I can to help them survive.

 

[roostbuster]

They should be fine. Don't worry mom knows best

 

[ChixieStampede]

Those baby chicks hatched and are doing just fine! Momma brought 4 baby chicks out from under the porch on the second day after hatching. Momma didn't go back to the nest so a few days later one of my young grandsons crawled under the porch and brought out the eggs she left behind. We discovered my batam hen had been sitting on 17 eggs! We decided to see what was inside the remaining 13 eggs: 4 eggs weren't fertilized and the other 9 looked as if they had been ready to hatch. Just curious if someone can shed some light on why she abandoned the remaining eggs? Could it be due to being a first time momma? Or she thought four chicks was all she could handle? I'm just wondering. Thanks for any info you may have.

 

[roostbuster]

Chickens do strange things you will probably never know why but glad you got some chicks!!