I have a broody hen, and about 19 or so days ago, I stuck five eggs under her. I wasn't too confident in how well they'd hatch, as our rooster is only 4 months old, and he'd only been with the girls full time a few days. This past week, I was out of town, and wasn't around to obsess on the broody hen. Tonight, I went out to candle the eggs, figuring that I would be able to tell definitively if the 5 eggs that are a couple days away from hatching or good or not. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure they're NOT good. I figure if we're this far along, I may as well wait a couple days and see what happens. This is the part where I need your opinions. Some sneaky chicken laid an egg in the hatching box while I was gone. I don't know exactly when, but I do know that I checked 7 days ago, and it was not there on that day. I decided to candle it, just for giggles. Definite veining, and I could actually watch the chick moving around!!!! OMG!!!! It was absolutely a keeper, and way more definite than the other ones were. But, I'm afraid of just hatching one chick. Do I stick tomorrow's eggs under her, even though they'll they'll be several days behind the rogue egg? Or do I just wait to see if the first 5 eggs hatch, toss them on day 23 if they haven't, and let the broody finish hatching one single chick?
I don't know too much. But I have heard that the hen will abanden the unhatch eggs to take care of the hatch chicks. Being a five day lag it's a high possibility.
What if I were to take the hatched chicks as soon as they were dry? I just have no idea what is the best thing to do here.
This is what I would do in your shoes... On day 23 I'd remove the 5 eggs (assuming they haven't hatched or pipped). Then I'd leave her with the one egg. I wouldn't give the hen anymore eggs because when the one egg hatches she'll want to leave the nest with it. If you were to take away the one chick as soon as it was dry she may stay with the remaining eggs, but she probably won't re-accept the single chick five days later when the other chicks hatch. Also, you don't want her to be broody too long. She may quit being broody or even starve herself to death. If it were me, I would either let her hatch and raise the one chick, or find some other chicks that will be within a day or two in age and slip a few of these under her at night after the one chick has hatched, or take them all to raise myself. Just what I would do. If the first 5 eggs do hatch, then make sure to take them as soon as they're dry or else she'll take the chicks off the nest with her, leaving the sixth egg to chill and die.
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. I think I'll do just that. Last night I dreamed that 4/5 eggs hatched, and the rogue egg got stepped on. Here's to hoping that's what happens.
