[ahussey]

Hi,

I am back again as my predicament has progressed.
After deciding to leave the 5 Pekin Bantams to remain broody, one ventured out of the nest box yesterday morning so I had a little peek.
Out of the 14 eggs she has been sat on, one of them had a little crack and I definately heard some cheeping noises.
I left her to it expecting to see some new additions this morning but she is still sat where I left her yesterday.
Will she suffocate any new chicks?
If she does hatch any chicks is there anything I should do as there are still 4 more broody hens with her, will they leave them alone or peck at them?
Thanks for any help and support.

[joyfull]

they should be in their own brooders not together as they can be nasty. Hatching can take several days so she will stay sat until she is sure that no more will hatch. they can manage with out food or water for that period (as they have the egg sack to absorb). As soon as she gets off the nest then move her into her own broody ark with chick crumb and water in a shallow container (if you don't have a proper chick drinker then a little dish with marbles in for the water will be just fine - they can fall asleep in the water and drown  ).

[themagicaltoad1]

I've just had a nasty experience with my 3 broody's each attacking the chicks when they hatched. We've had to take the chicks out and put them in a box under a lamp. We've no idea why they did this, especially as they were really good tucking the eggs under, and rushing back to them when we brought the hens out for some food. All 3 hens now seem to have stopped being broody since the eggs hatched. It's like they were happy to sit on the eggs but saw the chicks as aliens.

[ahussey]

I now have 2 chicks which one of the hens is keeping firmly underneath her. I haven't noticed any of the other hens attacking the chicks and they are still busy sitting on their respective eggs but I am not at home all day to watch them should I take the chicks away as a precaution anyway? I lited "mother hen" off the chicks last night and she got very stressed and quickly went back to them to protect them?

[joyfull]

keep her and her chicks together but get her a little broody coup - you can get cheap rabbit hutches from pet shops or off ebay (single storey is best otherwise you will have to lift the chicks in and out every day) - it is only used for about 8 weeks maximum so quality isn't too important.