I had a hen go broody so I just left her alone and allowed nature to take its course. Now I think I should have seperated her from the others because they continued to lay eggs in her nest. I finally built a seperation for her just a day before her first chick hatched. Then the next day I had two more hatch. They are doing great. She still had eggs that she coninued to sit on so I let her be. I have checked on them everyday. It has been about a week and a half since the first chicks hatched. I checked on them this morning and saw that there was a dead chick smashed in the pine shavings. We have been gone all afternoon but when I just went to check on them I saw a broken egg kicked out of the nest and then when I lifted the lid on the nest and momma hen got up I saw two dead babies and one that was still alive though it looked smashed. The older chicks were running around and walking on top of the new one so I took it out and put it in a box under a heat lamp. I have tried to give it some water but it looks a bit premature. Although it is still breathing it does not move unless I touch it. I have an Hovabator that was given to me but I have never used it. I have it turned on now and I am trying to get the temp set thinking that I could move the remaining eggs into it and possibly the new hatchling as well.
Any advise on how to proceed with this would be appreciated.
Any advise on how to proceed with this would be appreciated.
