Staggered Hatch under a setting hen Got a chick question??

Why are chicks being taken away from the hen??

She can brood them better than we can.

 

Let her do it.She will teach them everything they need to know.

 

I imagine they are thinking that if they take the chicks away, she will continue to incubate the eggs that still need to hatch. Am I correct?

I dunno.

When I was a kid we had a problem with hens who would hatch one or two early birds and then let the rest of the clutch die.... whereas if she would have stayed on the eggs, she would have gotten more chicks.

 

that could be mahonri,

You might take them away till the others hatch then gently put them back under momma after they all hatch. MissPrissy is right, momma will do a much better job at rearing them than we ever could!

 

The hen I gave to my cousin went broody and he stuck eggs under her over a period of days. He took the first one that hatched and she continued to sit and sit and...a week and a half later she died in the sheep's waterer. Can only figure she was weakened from sitting so long. Don't know but I'd hate for that to happen to this broody. Just keep an eye.

 

a lot of people give the broodys feed and water right there in the nest box, so she will eat and drink and not loose strength. Yes they need their time to get back to normal with their chicks.

 

You can put all the chicks in the same brooder even if they are a few days apart in age. Baby chicks raised by a person are usually more friendly than hen raised chicks. I don't see any problems with taking the chicks as they hatch. Enjoy your new babies.

The hen will be just fine. She may sit on the empty nest for a while after the last chick hatches but she will soon come to realize her job is done.