So I let my broody do her thing, it was actually more of a group effort as three broodies were taking turns on three nests. I've been candling along the way (when mama will let me), and in all the shuffling we lost a few at different stages due to unknowing layers stepping on them. It took me a few days to realize she was broody, so I don't know when she started setting and how many eggs she started at first. Once I realized she was broody I marked all the eggs so I would know of any new ones to remove. Flash forward a few weeks, we have one darling little fluffy chick that wasn't out Thursday afternoon, but was nice and fluffy by Friday morning (yesterday). I candled 4-5 eggs yesterday and saw definite movement in at least three, but at this stage it's hard to see much anyway. I tried to put food and water in for the chick yesterday but the bigger birds chowed down on it. I don't have another place to move, and I'm afraid to disrupt this broody and have her abandon the nest as I don't have an incubator, and I think she would put up quite a fight to start with anyway.
So now to the question. I have a 1-2 day old chick, and on the eggs I got to look at this morning I didn't see any pips, but mama came charging back in and wouldn't let me look at the rest. I don't know if they're just staggered a few days, or if this one was just early. She's been pretty good about getting rid of the eggs that aren't going to make it (as I said above we've lost a few along the way). So do I wait it out? Do I put food and water out for the chick? I've heard that eggs can take a little longer under a broody than in an incubator, and I'm not 100% sure what day it is, but we do have a fluffy little chick and I don't want it to starve/be lonely, but I also don't want mama to abandon the nest as she still sees potential in these eggs! My other two broodys are sitting on nests that are not nearly as far developed, so I don't want to move any eggs at this point. Any and all advice is appreciated!!!!
So now to the question. I have a 1-2 day old chick, and on the eggs I got to look at this morning I didn't see any pips, but mama came charging back in and wouldn't let me look at the rest. I don't know if they're just staggered a few days, or if this one was just early. She's been pretty good about getting rid of the eggs that aren't going to make it (as I said above we've lost a few along the way). So do I wait it out? Do I put food and water out for the chick? I've heard that eggs can take a little longer under a broody than in an incubator, and I'm not 100% sure what day it is, but we do have a fluffy little chick and I don't want it to starve/be lonely, but I also don't want mama to abandon the nest as she still sees potential in these eggs! My other two broodys are sitting on nests that are not nearly as far developed, so I don't want to move any eggs at this point. Any and all advice is appreciated!!!!