Should I take dead chick out of nest?

[meags163]

My broody hen has hatched 2 successful chicks so far in the past 3 days. She is doing a wonderful job raising them! But today I found her pecking at a broken shell in which I can see chick feet sticking out but I'm pretty sure its a dead chick. I thought I might have seen it move but now I think it was just being moved by the pecking at the egg its in. My hen seemed frantic eating the membrane and blood....and the chicks were kind of eating it too. I tried taking the nest out but my hen is very protective and has a few more eggs left under her. So far I've been just letting her be since this is my first time and I think she knows more than I do, but should I intervene now to clean out her nest?

 

[mljohnson05]

I would remove the one you think is dead and check it...the last thing you want is for the hen and chicks to LIKE the taste of chick eggs.....then they may start pecking on any just because they like it....

 

[snowflake]

I agree I would remove the dead chick also, perhaps you could go in at night with a red light, wear gloves and good luck!