Only one hatched chick, help!

[InvertGang]

Hello!

We spotted my broody hen with a chick for the first time just now! We're worried that we only see one chick. Will she keep trying to incubate and hatch more? Should we get an incubator and fish the eggs out to try to hatch ourselves?

 

[SnackMeat]

Oh no. Yeah you need to find the nest.

 

[InvertGang]

Oh no. Yeah you need to find the nest.

We know where it is, she's in a chicken tractor by herself with it set up. It's more we don't know if we should trust her to go back and sit on the remaining eggs or if seeing this one chick means she's done.

 

[Cloverfluff]

I would guess that if she stays out longer than it takes to eat or drink, she is not likely to return to the nest.

 

[InvertGang]

I would guess that if she stays out longer than it takes to eat or drink, she is not likely to return to the nest.

She usually hangs out outside for an hour or an hour or a half at this time in the afternoon and preens and sun bathes. I guess if she returns around when she normally does, it means she may hatch out more chicks?

 

[Cloverfluff]

She usually hangs out outside for an hour or an hour or a half at this time in the afternoon and preens and sun bathes. I guess if she returns around when she normally does, it means she may hatch out more chicks?

She usually hangs out outside for an hour or an hour or a half at this time in the afternoon and preens and sun bathes. I guess if she returns around when she normally does, it means she may hatch out more chicks?

I would say that's a good possibility. I know they can leave the nest for short periods of time. I usually do a nest check every morning and evening, so you may consider looking in the nest if you don't see her out. If she stays sitting on the nest when you look in on her, she is likely still attempting a hatch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If she is off of the nest with that chick, put them in the incubator now. Assume she has abandoned the nest. Just do not take that chance.

 

[InvertGang]

If she is off of the nest with that chick, put them in the incubator now. Assume she has abandoned the nest. Just do not take that chance.

Unfortunately we don't own an incubator. Hatching out chicks was more her idea than ours, haha.

We could potentially buy one or MacGyver something, but we were expecting to get either several chicks or none. Getting only one chick wasn't really on our radar.

 

[Cloverfluff]

I would say that's a good possibility. I know they can leave the nest for short periods of time. I usually do a nest check every morning and evening, so you may consider looking in the nest if you don't see her out. If she stays sitting on the nest when you look in on her, she is likely still attempting a hatch.

Unfortunately we don't own an incubator. Hatching out chicks was more her idea than ours, haha.

We could potentially buy one or MacGyver something, but we were expecting to get either several chicks or none. Getting only one chick wasn't really on our radar.

You could also try candling them, to see if they are even viable. I ended up doing that with plans to introduce chicks if there were no takers, but a single egg had a chick in it.