Will he sit on eggs AND chicks?

[OzarkChooks]

I have a broody hen who has 10 eggs under her. She is in a nesting box in a pen in our shop. Yesterday one chick hatched. I checked this morning and there is still only one chick. She is currently sitting on the eggs and the little chick.

I am curious how long she will stay on the eggs now that bone hatched. I have no incubator so I won't be able to help out the eggs if she leaves them. Or at least I don't know how to incubate them without and incubator. Any ideas?

 

[OzarkChooks]

Just realized in the title I put "he" instead of hen

 

[Ginmary]

You also named the chick "Bone" lol

 

[OzarkChooks]

You also named the chick "Bone" lol

Haha I meant to say "one"
Geez, not enough coffee this morning!

 

[Ginmary]

Bone is a cute name....

 

[ChickenCluckChick]

In my experiences with broody hens, once the chick becomes more active the hen will get off the eggs to follow the chick. This means she will probably sit a couple more days and then leave but it depends on the chick that hatched also. As for incubating with no incubator, I have no clue sorry

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Have you candled the remaining eggs to see if they are viable? If so, i agree your broody will likely stay on the eggs for approx. 2 days before the restless chick insists mom give it up and tend to her hatched chick's needs.

I deal with the above situation by placing early-hatched chicks in a temporary brooder with food, water. and heat. I Try to always leave ome chick with mom, but sometimes thats not possible. And a broody will hear and feel the remaining "egg babies" underneath her, so will almost always remain on the eggs.

The chick in phoro below hatched a full 48 hours before the other eggs began to hatch, even though all eggs were set at the same time. Chick was only 1 day old in photo. (Mom was out for a quick break.) The next day this restless chick went to a temporary broody. He was reunited with his siblings when they all hatched.

But again, my question is do you know if your broody's remaining eggs are viable?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Ps. Your thread title "Will HE sit..." definitely caught my attention! And i also think "Bone"is a cute name.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I had a hen who sat on eight eggs. Seven hatched in one day, but she stayed sitting on the last one for three more days until it finally hatched. She'd get up, get some food and water, poop, and get right back on. The one chick will hang around very close to mama the first few days, so the others do have some more time to hatch!

 

[aart]

Just realized in the title I put "he" instead of hen

Haha I meant to say "one"
Geez, not enough coffee this morning!

You can edit and correct both typos.