staggered hatch? help I'm lost!

[notducky]

My broody sat on about 20 eggs over 3 weeks ago. She has barely moved. She's hatched 2 chicks, about 36ish hours apart.that was a few days ago. She's still sitting and I don't know if I should move her. Does she know something I don't about the rest of the eggs? Could there be this many days between eggs hatching or are the rest not viable? I don't know what to do.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My broody sat on about 20 eggs over 3 weeks ago. She has barely moved. She's hatched 2 chicks, about 36ish hours apart.that was a few days ago. She's still sitting and I don't know if I should move her. Does she know something I don't about the rest of the eggs? Could there be this many days between eggs hatching or are the rest not viable? I don't know what to do.

Were the eggs all there the day she started or are they eggs that other hens have contributed to her nest during the time she has been setting? The difference in nearness to hatch can vary widely based on that.
If she is hearing peeping or feeling movement from the remaining eggs she will likely remain on the nest as long as she can before her already hatched chicks make it necessary for her to move off to begin caring for them by showing them to food and water sources - the chicks that have hatched have done so with a 2-3 day supply of energy and nutrients already on board to allow for this process to play out.

 

[notducky]

I think most were there when she started but a few may have been added later. How long do I let her wait?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I think most were there when she started but a few may have been added later. How long do I let her wait?

As long as she chooses to - when the other chicks make it necessary to abandon the nest, she will.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

As long as she chooses to - when the other chicks make it necessary to abandon the nest, she will.

When she does abandon the nest remove all the other eggs and block her out of the nest or nests. Failure to do so may result in her returning to the nest for the night and leaving the vulnerable chicks behind to chill and die. What you do with the un-pipped eggs is your choice.

Hens don't know jack, but they do have good instincts about raising chicks. Trust her.

 

[notducky]

She's in a partitioned off chicken jail under the nesting boxes right now. She can't get out of that area (approx 2'x6'). But she doesn't even leave the nest to eat, I put down food in front of her. The babies come out from under her a few times a day. One day I closed all the other chickens out of the coop and opened her fence just to see if she wasn't moving bc of lack of space. But she never came off the nest that I saw.