ducknovice
In the Brooder
- Mar 20, 2017
- 18
- 4
- 17
So, after a pretty disastrous first hatch I thought we were having no chicks hatch. So we bought 4 chicks on Wednesday evening (just hatched - the breeder turned the incubator off and put them all in brooder for first time while we were there).
One of our incubated eggs then did hatch yesterday afternoon. It was late on 23rd day, very prolonged hatch (over 30 hrs from first pip) and had to be assisted in the end. Think it was mal-positioned. The chick was very weak and wobbly and didn't fluff up overnight. No yolk sack - definitely was ready to hatch, but was a bit crispy and one of the legs is a little splayed. After reading various thread on here I bathed, dried it, gave vitamin drops and put kitchen towel in the incubator for grip and it fluffed up a treat and looks much stronger.
Have now added it to the brooder with the other (figuring sooner the better in terms of introductions). She is getting much steadier on her feet, has eaten some food and I've dipped her beak in the water. She's moving about the brooder fine (am keeping an eye for splayed leg in case she needs hobbling) but the other chicks are really cross she is there. Lots of very loud cheeping and pecking at her. She has pecked back a few times, but I keep finding her driven away from the heat.
My instinct at moment is to leave them to it (keeping a close eye) hoping they'll accept her as they get tired from all this activity. Any wise words or ideas to help them not pick on her?
One of our incubated eggs then did hatch yesterday afternoon. It was late on 23rd day, very prolonged hatch (over 30 hrs from first pip) and had to be assisted in the end. Think it was mal-positioned. The chick was very weak and wobbly and didn't fluff up overnight. No yolk sack - definitely was ready to hatch, but was a bit crispy and one of the legs is a little splayed. After reading various thread on here I bathed, dried it, gave vitamin drops and put kitchen towel in the incubator for grip and it fluffed up a treat and looks much stronger.
Have now added it to the brooder with the other (figuring sooner the better in terms of introductions). She is getting much steadier on her feet, has eaten some food and I've dipped her beak in the water. She's moving about the brooder fine (am keeping an eye for splayed leg in case she needs hobbling) but the other chicks are really cross she is there. Lots of very loud cheeping and pecking at her. She has pecked back a few times, but I keep finding her driven away from the heat.
My instinct at moment is to leave them to it (keeping a close eye) hoping they'll accept her as they get tired from all this activity. Any wise words or ideas to help them not pick on her?
