Moving hen & chicks after hatching question

[longday]

My chicks are finally hatching, and I'm going to move the hen & chicks to a separate area. I have 4 or 5 hatched, so either 2 or 3 eggs to (potentially) go. If they aren't hatched by tonight, would it be ok to carefully move the eggs with her or should I wait? At the moment they're in the original nesting box. I have only one other chicken, so I could lock her in the separate area for the night and wait it out and then switch them. My only concern with that is that the original nest is elevated, so I'd like to move them as soon as I can without upsetting the apple cart. What should I do?

Thanks,
Longday

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

She may not set on the remaining eggs if you move her. The new chicks are OK without food and water for a couple of days as they are still digesting egg yolk. So keep that in mind...there is no hurry if they just hatched today.

 

[longday]

Thanks for the response!

 

[longday]

So she's looking after 4 but abandoned 1 live chick (still wet, bloody sac attached) and two bantam eggs. She had moved off the nest, and was pecking at the newborn when I tried to give it to her. I don't have an incubator or brooder, so I'm currently doing the "bra method" for the two eggs (one due today and the other tomorrow). I have the chick under a light with a heat pad and damp cloth. It appears to be doing well, although I'm still working to get the temperature right.

I haven't moved the hen & chicks yet, but plan on doing that today. I'm wondering if I can sneak the chick back in during the move. Has anyone ever seen success with this kind of stealth? Any tips for increasing the likelihood of her accepting the extra chick?

Any other advice on the eggs or chick? Oh, and is the blood on the sac normal?

Thanks!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If you sneak chicks in under the mama make sure you do it at night and don't let her see the chick. Make sure you observe her in the morning- there should be no pecking at the chick as it comes out from under her. If she pecks at it, take it out.

I don't know anything about the bloody sac problem- sorry!

 

[longday]

Ack. Mama was fine, but the other chicks attacked and killed it. So mad at myself for introducing while the sac was still there.