My broody - one hatched and died, other three didn't hatch...advice?

[Spaeth-chicks]

Ok, I'll try to make this brief,

I had a broody (Lady Bird) who successfully hatched 5 chicks out of 7 eggs (6 hatched, we lost one baby after one week). She's busy being a great mom. While she was broody our chicken Ginger decided she wanted to be a mom too. SOO for about a week she sat on a fake egg. I realized she really wanted to commit, so I gave her 4 eggs to sit on. She has been super committed, taking small breaks and basically putting in all the work to hatch these little guys, day in and day out. I'm not looking for more chicks, so if we didn't end up with more from her, I was going to be ok with it, but I wanted to let her hatch them because she really wants this. Anyway, she's now at 24 days. One baby hatched on Friday which was day 20? Sadly it didn't make it. I noticed she had the little chick under her, but it wasn't moving. I'm not sure how it died, there was no marks on it, and it was dead when I found it. I didn't take it right away, but later that day I checked on her and she had pushed it out from under her at that point. Since then, the other three eggs haven't hatched. I don't really think they will at this point. I think they would have hatched the day that the one that didn't make it hatched. So I want to take the eggs now. What should I do. I don't want to upset her, and I think she's going to continue sitting...If I take the eggs, how long will she sit on nothing? Will she realize she doesn't have anymore eggs and eventually stop sitting in the box? I feel really bad for her, that she doesn't get to be a mommy now. I know I'm probably projecting these feelings to her, but she's been working so hard.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So I want to take the eggs now. What should I do. I don't want to upset her, and I think she's going to continue sitting...If I take the eggs, how long will she sit on nothing? Will she realize she doesn't have anymore eggs and eventually stop sitting in the box? I feel really bad for her, that she doesn't get to be a mommy now. I know I'm probably projecting these feelings to her, but she's been working so hard.

Get her a couple sexed feed store or hatchery chicks to adopt (they can be sold off later) or take the eggs and boot her and keep booting her out of the nest until she breaks the cycle and maybe let her try again next time.. some will sit until they die.

I would candle the eggs that are still under her first before taking action.. though I presume also by now that they would have hatched even if not the same day as the "early" one and each day going forward makes exploding egg mess more possible.

 

[Ais]

My first time broody hatched 2 chicks. One at day 24 and one at day 25. She had a couple more eggs under her but after the second chick she moved out. From what I've read they usually know. I'd give her a day or two more. I've heard of chicks hatching as late as day 27 under a broody.

 

[Kiki]

Can you take the egg She's still sitting on into a dark room and candle them to see if they were even fertile or developing?

 

[Spaeth-chicks]

Get her a couple sexed feed store or hatchery chicks to adopt (they can be sold off later) or take the eggs and boot her and keep booting her out of the nest until she breaks the cycle and maybe let her try again next time.. some will sit until they die.

I would candle the eggs that are still under her first before taking action.. though I presume also by now that they would have hatched even if not the same day as the "early" one and each day going forward makes exploding egg mess more possible.

I thought about getting her some newly hatched chicks to put under her, but I think I'm going to try to break her of it, at this point. I'll candle them, but all three of the eggs are pretty dark colored eggs. I haven't been very successful at seeing anything when I try to candle the dark ones. At this point it's day 25. Pretty sure they're not going to hatch at this point :-(

 

[Spaeth-chicks]

My first time broody hatched 2 chicks. One at day 24 and one at day 25. She had a couple more eggs under her but after the second chick she moved out. From what I've read they usually know. I'd give her a day or two more. I've heard of chicks hatching as late as day 27 under a broody.

I'll leave them another day or two. I don't expect them to hatch at this point, but maybe?

 

[Spaeth-chicks]

Can you take the egg She's still sitting on into a dark room and candle them to see if they were even fertile or developing?

I'll try to candle, but they're dark eggs, they're hard to see anything.