Should I remove a weak chick from under a broody hen?

[quiche]

When one of our Buff Orpingtons went broody my daughters begged me to get some fertilized eggs and give her a try at raising chicks. So we embarked on our first time hatching chicks with a broody. "Josephine" the Buff proved to be up to the task, on day 21 and we heard lots of peeping and one little head popping out. We left her alone in her dog kennel maternity ward, but this afternoon a strong odor appeared. Tonight (after the kids went to bed) we lifted her off the nest. We removed a chick that had died trying to hatch and several unhatched eggs (none passed the float test). I also removed some but not all of the bedding that was soiled. There was also one extremely weak chick (not fluffy and dry) that was still alive and a very peppy, fluffy, healthy chick. Mama hen is still very committed to the nest box and sitting on the weak chick. Tomorrow will be day 23, Should I euthanize the weak chick to give the healthy chick a better chance at survival or should I wait to see if the weak chick makes it?

 

[bobbi-j]

I'd wait and see. If the chick was not fluffy and dry it may have just hatched. They are usually pretty wobbly for awhile.

 

[quiche]

The chick survived the night and is mostly (a few dried wet spots) fluffy. It climbed out of the nest box but could not get back in unassisted and was peeping its head off. I gave it a little boost. So it looks like we have one strong chick and one no-so-strong chick.