Broody question

[Hopeful homesteader]

After the first chick hatches, how long will the broody stay on the nest for? It's been 3 days and she doesn't appear interested in coming off. Only 1 chick has hatched so far so I put a feeder and waterer in and she has been showing it to eat and drink. I know the eggs are still viable so I don't want her to abandon them but I'm worried about the chick too, shouldn't she be taking it outside soon?

 

[troyer]

After the first chick hatches, how long will the broody stay on the nest for? It's been 3 days and she doesn't appear interested in coming off. Only 1 chick has hatched so far so I put a feeder and waterer in and she has been showing it to eat and drink. I know the eggs are still viable so I don't want her to abandon them but I'm worried about the chick too, shouldn't she be taking it outside soon?

As long as the chick has access to food and water it'll be fine.
Were the eggs all put in the nest at the same time or is it a staggered hatch?

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

As long as the chick has access to food and water it'll be fine.
Were the eggs all put in the nest at the same time or is it a staggered hatch?

They are staggered, I let the hens lay for 3-4 days and then started pulling the excess. We also just had a heat wave and every time they've been sitting on eggs through heat waves in the past, I ended up with some eggs hatching days earlier than the others even though I'd set them all out on the same day before. This is the first time trying a staggered hatch

 

[troyer]

They are staggered, I let the hens lay for 3-4 days and then started pulling the excess. We also just had a heat wave and every time they've been sitting on eggs through heat waves in the past, I ended up with some eggs hatching days earlier than the others even though I'd set them all out on the same day before. This is the first time trying a staggered hatch

Unless you have an incubator, it's best to let the hen do her instinctive thing.