Hi Everyone,

My YH pair laid 9 eggs and so far 6 have hatched. I'm wondering if they all hatch, is that going to be too many for them to look after? They are a really good pair and mum is very attentive and doesn't stress with me looking in twice a day, but I would hate for her to lose chicks because she can't feed them all. I do have another hen who's eggs are starting to hatch. Only problem is that she has laid 6 eggs!

By The Way, the YH pair, this is their second clutch, she started to lay the second clutch about 3 or 4 days before the last 2 chicks of clutch number 1, left the nest. I won't let them breed again after this second clutch, but if she starts to lay again before all the chicks have fledged, do I just take the eggs out?

Is that as clear as mud!!!!

Thanks in advance...

Sandy

I don’t like to let them have to raise more than 6 if I can, but if you don’t have any smaller batches, you don’t have much choice. Good feeders will raise 7 or 8, but like you say maybe it would be good to rest them after that. Wait & see what happens if the other batch doesn’t end up hatching all it’s eggs you can transfer some of the youngest ones from the first batch.

 

Some times like you say it’s hard to stop them & some lay while they have chicks still in the nest, often they will get kicked around & dirtied that much they wouldn’t hatch anyway. All you can do it remove them after all the chicks have fledged.