Our Hamburg hen was missing for 3 weeks (assumed lost to a fox) but we found her sitting tight in a mower grass collection box. We secured her from predators and we now have 4 healthy chicks that are eating starter and taking water. They are now 5 days old, and the hen is still sitting tight on 4 of the unhatched eggs having discarded 2. Will she leave the eggs herself? I'm a novice and grateful for any help. PS renamed 'Lord Lucan' cos she dissapeared
5 days post hatch? Is she teaching the new chicks to eat and drink? If not... she may not be cut out to be a mom and rather just a hatcher. If they are still alive, they must be eating so just keep a close eye on her and be ready to take the chicks if she doesn't get up. Mine usually get up on the 2nd day.
If you take those eggs from her she will probably start being mama to those chicks. This happened with one of my last hatches. I left the unhatched eggs with her for three days and then I took them. After cracking them open, for whatever reason, the two unhatched chicks had died just days before hatching, but I had 14 healthies that she is still mothering at four weeks.
Thanks All the chicks are alive and well. They are happily feeding and drinking on their own this morning. Then they dissapeared back under mum. She is moving around in the area taking her unhatched eggs with her still. Its difficult to get access to her at the moment. She hatched in a really awkward place. she is clearly stresed when we are around, so I am gonna continue leaving her to it for now. What do you think?