Surprise chicks

[Cierrascoop]

My step mother came to me with a question to post regarding her surprise batch of chicks . She kept noticing her olive egger was only coming out to eat only to find she and several other hens had a clutch of twenty eggs that she was setting. Well. She had twelve hatch out two days ago and isn't setting on the others aside from at night. She's assuming the others will not hatch now. Should she toss them or is there a chance anymore would hatch?

 

[Rose Quartz]

It's not likely the others will hatch, and my broodies at least won't accept new babies once they're up off the nest. The day olds can't keep up with the others and end up getting left behind and dying of cold.

 

[Cierrascoop]

It's not likely the others will hatch, and my broodies at least won't accept new babies once they're up off the nest. The day olds can't keep up with the others and end up getting left behind and dying of cold.

Thank you for that info. I've never had my hens sit on any yet so I was clueless. With it being colder now, would you recommend they continue letting the hen raise them or take them in? It isn't snowing or anything but reaches the forties some nights. They made it fine last night with the hen and she is doing wonderful with them but she is nervous that it may get too cold for them.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I took in some eggs from a friend when her hen walked away, I put them in the incubator, and 5 days later got some chicks.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Thank you for that info. I've never had my hens sit on any yet so I was clueless. With it being colder now, would you recommend they continue letting the hen raise them or take them in? It isn't snowing or anything but reaches the forties some nights. They made it fine last night with the hen and she is doing wonderful with them but she is nervous that it may get too cold for them.

Let her keep them. I've had broodies take care of babies in full blown winter -20C weather, because they thought February was the best time to do it lol

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, let her keep them. Mine brought them through -20 F.