Contemplate chicks (5)
I believe the answer is:
brood
This clue is a double definition.
'contemplate' is the first definition.
(brooding is a kind of contemplating)
'chicks' is the second definition.
(number of young birds hatched at the same time)
(Other definitions for brood that I've seen before include "Ponder - family" , "Think resentfully - about young birds?" , "Ponder mournfully" , "Meditate, fret" , "Collection of chickens" .)