Well, I've got a few years of chickens behind me now, so I will venture an explanation. This is my take on the subject, not textbook information. The hen sets until the first eggs hatch and since the chicks do not need food or water for a couple of days, she will continue to set for awhile longer. Unless the eggs are at various stages of development (i.e. the other hens have added eggs days later) the remaining viable eggs will be close to hatching. Chicks in the shell communicate with mom and with each other by peeping. So the hen has a pretty good idea of what's going on and she clucks to the eggs to encourage them. When there are no eggs still peeping, mom considers the hatch complete and goes into caregiver role... takes the chicks for their first walk, shows them how to eat and drink etc. Occasionally there will be an egg that hatches after she leaves the nest, but after a certain point the mother hen has to put the needs of the hatched chicks ahead of the needs of a latecomer. If this happens and I find the late chick still alive, I take it into the house and put it under a lamp to dry off, give it a bit of sugar water and return it to mom using the "2 for 1" trick. "2 for 1" is simple and has always worked for me. I chicknap one of the babies and it hollers to its momma to save it. Momma gets indignant, then upset, then furious. When she is all worked up and the chick is screaming, I return the chick to her... and also the newcomer. Momma is pacified by the return of her baby and never realizes she got extra as well. Isn't it handy that hens can't count? As to why you had one dead chick, chances are pretty good that mom stepped on the egg, forcing the premature hatch and the chick was too injured or too weak to survive.

Eggs don't hatch prematurely, but they may be broken by excessive disturbances. It sounds like they were not yet ready to hatch. Another problem that you might have, is different hatch dates because two hens are setting together. One may have begun setting while another was still laying in the same nest, causing many of the eggs to have successive hatch dates. The hen's instincts tell her to leave when the majority of the hatch is finished, usually within a day or so. If you have some that hatch after one hen leaves the nest, but before the other is ready to, you may have difficulty getting either one to accept those chicks that have not hatched as part of their brood. The best way to prevent such problems is to seperate each hen and allow her to set by herself. That way you'll be able to determine the exact hatch date of her entire brood 21 days after she starts setting, and eliminate any guess work or premature destruction of eggs.

Lisa and Cathy, Thanks for your encouragement. This year, the nest box is where I don't have but a few steps to run down should I have to :) Plus, I've had my knee replaced since last summer so I'm doing steps MUCH better. But the bottom line is THERE WILL BE NO HOUSE WRENS! I put a sign up where they can see it so I expect it'll work...I WISH! So far so good. I have two babies who are growing fast. And they are tough kids so there's nothing could stop them!! Bluebird blessings, Linda...

Check the box right away for ants, wasps etc. Put a straw twig across the opening so you can see if they are just being elusive. Call a rehabber now because it can take them some time to get back to you, alert them to the fact you may have a problem. Just be VERY sure there is no parent coming before taking the babies, also I have hand fed meal worms to babies before, need to mush them up a bit and hold them with tweezers (dull ones)do not force feed just hope they gape for you. Call this number....1 734-761-9640 they may be able to help. Karen is right it would be odd for both parents to have gone missing.