Update:problem

[bigchrisb1985]

I have a hen setting on a clutch of eggs that are due to start hatching any day. The problem is the eggs are from different days( I was away for about a week and there are eggs from that whole week under her) She started setting on one egg the day before I left, And when I got back there were about 15 under her. I separated her from the others when I got back and she is in her own coop. When I went up there a little while ago the egg she was setting on the day I left is already pipped and you can hear the chick chirping. My question is will she continue to set on the other eggs even tho one has hatched or will she stop setting? Should I remove the chick after it fluffs up and bring it inside until the others hatch or leave it in with the hen? Another question will I need to put a brooder light in the coop with the hen seeing as there is hopefully soon to be a chick walking around in there?

Thanks
Chris

 

[bragabit]

Well my Buff Orp has about 18 eggs under her rump and they have about 3 days difference. I am not sure how it is going to work out.

 

[bigchrisb1985]

How long till your eggs start hatching?

 

[staggerlee]

We've got the same thing going on here...she started on 4 and when I checked last week there were about 10. I too, have moved the other hens and roo out and am waiting to see whats gonna happen.

 

[bigchrisb1985]

the one that had piped earlier still hasn't hatched.

 

[bigchrisb1985]

When to check on the hen and other chickens this morning and the momma hen had just got up to eat and a chick fell out from under her. When the chick tried to get back into the nest with the momma hen she started picking the chick so I brought in on down here, Was that the right thing to do?

 

[NancyP]

I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but I would have done the same thing. Hopefully you will get more to hatch so the baby will have company.
Nancy

 

[bigchrisb1985]

I am hoping it was the right thing it is awfully cold out side right now and I wasn't for sure if the hen was going to let the chick back under her.

 

[bigchrisb1985]

here are a few pics of it not very good quality from my cell

 

[elmo]

What I've read is that a hen will continue sitting for two, maybe three days but then get up and leave the nest with the chicks that are already hatched. Chicks can survive for that long without food and water, but not much longer than that. Usually the eggs left behind don't hatch.

You could take the already hatched chicks away from the hen and put them in a brooder, to see if the hen will continue setting on the remaining eggs. Alternatively, when the hen leaves the nest with her hatched chicks, you could take any unhatched ones and put them in an incubator to see if you could hatch them out yourself, but I'm not sure how well this would work.

Or you could just let nature take its course which would mean you'd likely lose some of the chicks.