Not sure were to start...

[luvnfresheggs]

LOL I have so many questions I am not sure were to start. First I have a hen that has been broody now sitting on 20 eggs for I thought 2 and a half weeks but I guess its been more because today there were two chicks that had hatched that I happen to see for just a couple of seconds before she scooted them back under her. She is still sitting really well on the rest of the eggs so I am hopeing she will keep on sitting and the rest will hatch with no problem. So how long should I leave her sitting before I try to make her move or leave the nest? Should I worry about the little ones eating the first several days? She is seperated from the rest of the chickens by a small fenced in area because the other hens kept laying more eggs in her nest when she would get up for water/food. Which brings me to another question, two of the other 3 hens have stopped laying since I seperated the broody hen from them any ideas why they did this, and how I can get them to start laying again? I am getting low on my yummy eggs. LOL Thank you all for reading this and for any help you may be able to give me.

 

[VALBURNHAM]

Mother hen will get off the eggs to look after her babies so don't worry as long as you have chick crumb and water available. Make sure the water is in a shallow container you don't want the chicks to drown. You will have problems if the eggs were left under her at different times as after 24/48 hours she will leave the nest to look after her babies leaving the other eggs which won't then hatch even if they are viable. Do you have another broody or an incubator to put them in.

 

[chrismahon]

Good suggestion from Val there Luvn. She has no choice but to get up and look after those hatched as they will want to eat and drink a day after hatching. There may well be others that could hatch but will subsequently get cold and die. So an incubator or another broody is a great idea. Unlikely more than 10 hatch because there are too many eggs there for her to have covered properly. Good idea to candle them before transfer. They can go cold for a few hours but then they are at risk.