Hen still brooding eggs after hatching chicks.

[ramboas93]

So I have a hen who hatched out few chicks 4-5days ago and is still brooding on couple unhatched eggs. I have had chickens lay on eggs for 2 more days after first egg has hatched as i understand theirs early/late hatchers but it has been 4 days since last chicked has hatched and 5 days since the first one hatched and shes still brooding on eggs. Should i take the chicks away from her? I have had hens before who would quit brooding early but this is the first time i have had one keep brooding after hatching some. Just concerned that their gonna die if i dont do something.

 

[Poultrybreeder]

I would take the eggs away from her, and if possible, somehow keep her from getting back to the nest for a while

 

[JaeG]

Can you put a little dish of food right by her and offer them water from a spoon? I had a bantam hen hatch a quail chick, then wait another week for another one to hatch, so I took care of her and chick for that time. Have you candled the eggs to see if there's any reason she's still sitting? She might know something you don't. You could try taking the eggs away if they aren't going to hatch.

 

[ramboas93]

i put a little dish with some water next to them(maybe about foot away) 2 days ago and it appears neither the hen or chicks have touched it. i havent candled them since last time she left the nest which was about 8-10 days ago and all but one looked fertile so i tossed the one that wasnt then. I know half way through incubating them another hen kept trying to lay eggs in her nest but id remove her everytime i caught her, so she may have been able to slipped a egg or two in then but i didnt notice any differences when i did candle the eggs last time besides the one egg i removed.

 

[JaeG]

They can stash eggs under their wings so maybe she had one hiding there! I'd put the food right by her head and she should call the babies out for a feed, otherwise I'd intervene and show the babies yourself (leave the dish right by her) and that might get Mama chicken to join in and show them.