I moved hen & chicks, what now?

[flock-mama]

My cat had discovered my hen in the yard and chicks have been hatching for 2 days, so I didn't want him to kill chciks. There are 8 chicks and 3 eggs left, but no pips in them. I put the eggs back under her so she would get comfortable in the nursery where it's SAFE. It seemed to go ok, she sat right on them all.
Now what should I do with eggs? Leave them for awhile? Since I didn't think the eggs would hatch at all, I have 5 BOs coming June 18th. Maybe I should leave eggs until then? Im hoping to put BOs under her too. Wish me luck she will take them.

 

[sara]

Do you mean you have 5 bo chicks coming? She may or may not accept them at that point if her chicks have already hatched. Try slipping them under her at night. If you are getting bo eggs I certianly would not put them under her, she wont sit on them if she is taking care of babies, and you wouldn't want her to continue sitting on another set of eggs.

 

[flock-mama]

The BOs will be 2 days old wed when I get them, but these chicks will be 6 days old when I add babies. But should I take 3 unhatched eggs out now? Or leave them until wed? I mean she will keep sitting if there are eggs, does that mean she isn't taking care of the others?
This may sound dumb, when I get 2 day old chicks I dip the beak in water, if she hatched the eggs I don't have to do that right? Thanks.

 

[flock-mama]

So cute!

 

[sara]

She wont keep sitting, she will decide when the hatch is over.

 

[flock-mama]

So I leave the eggs and she will start teaching other chicks when she is ready? Funny birds. Im just not used to having a mama hen to do all the work.

 

[flock-mama]

Ok well that takes care of that. She was off the nest with the chicks, and off the 3 eggs. So I took the eggs and cracked them just to see. I felt awful at first, but they were just yolk and anyway they never made it passed day 4-5. So I am so HAPPY!

I have 8 babies!!!