May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[Fintechie]

Question - what to feed mama and baby chicks after the hatch? Our hen hatched five chicks 9 days ago.We have been feeding them medicated baby chicken feed and a separate hen feed for mama. But mama has been so focused on babies and doesn't really touch her own feed. What's somewhat annoying is that she scratches and kicks out a lot of baby feed as if she is checking every tiny bit of the baby powder. Any one cares to share your experience please?
Adding a picture of 5 babies - as of Saturday, 3 at 8 days old, 1 @7 days, 1 @6 days
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[CluckNDoodle]

Question - what to feed mama and baby chicks after the hatch? Our hen hatched five chicks 9 days ago.We have been feeding them medicated baby chicken feed and a separate hen feed for mama. But mama has been so focused on babies and doesn't really touch her own feed. What's somewhat annoying is that she scratches and kicks out a lot of baby feed as if she is checking every tiny bit of the baby powder. Any one cares to share your experience please?

I give unmedicated chick feed to broody hens with their chicks. They don't need the added calcium that is found in layer feed while they're raising babies because they don't lay eggs for several weeks.

 

[Fintechie]

I give unmedicated chick feed to broody hens with their chicks. They don't need the added calcium that is found in layer feed while they're raising babies because they don't lay eggs for several weeks.

Thank you Andrea.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have grape fruit tree sprouts coming up today!

My avatar egg is flexing the air cell, but I don't think it is internal yet. Today is day 21, but I did set it late 21 days ago so probably still day 20, plus eggs with this incubator hatch on day 22.

 

[shyBadger]

Peeps are popping in my incubator Just have a question about this one:

Obviously the membrane is getting dried out. The hatched chicks knocked this one so that crack was facing down for the last couple hours and there was no more movement. Just recently it started unzipping again, does that mean it shouldn't need help at this point (meaning oil/lube)? All these chicks are creating so much chaos!

Edit to add: humidity has been between 64-75%, spikes happening after hatches.

 

[shyBadger]

Phew, nm, chick made it out okay!!

 

[jolenesdad]

Today my husband came in and said “I heard what may or may not have been a really awful mess outside.”

I ran barefoot And flew through the chicken field and every single chicken was inside the coop and not mama. I looked up and saw a hawk come down into my enclosed round pen for the horses. Mama was in there with her babies through an open gate.

SHE. FOUGHT. IT. OFF.

Im so proud of her. It was amazing to see, and she still has all 13 babies.

unbelievable.

I’m a little sad that they will likely be back, it’s probably feeding it’s own babies, but I locked everyone up and today we are winning.

now I have to disinfect my feet.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Today my husband came in and said “I heard what may or may not have been a really awful mess outside.”

I ran barefoot And flew through the chicken field and every single chicken was inside the coop and not mama. I looked up and saw a hawk come down into my enclosed round pen for the horses. Mama was in there with her babies through an open gate.

SHE. FOUGHT. IT. OFF.

Im so proud of her. It was amazing to see, and she still has all 13 babies.

unbelievable.

I’m a little sad that they will likely be back, it’s probably feeding it’s own babies, but I locked everyone up and today we are winning.

now I have to disinfect my feet.

Wow!! What an incredible broody momma!!! That's great news that she was able to protect them and you got out there so quickly!

I had a hawk literally rolling across the ground with one of my hens that was NOT giving up the fight. I didn't see a hawk for quite some time after that. I think it was shocked. So hopefully the same will happen with your hawk and it will move along!

 

[Fintechie]

Today my husband came in and said “I heard what may or may not have been a really awful mess outside.”

I ran barefoot And flew through the chicken field and every single chicken was inside the coop and not mama. I looked up and saw a hawk come down into my enclosed round pen for the horses. Mama was in there with her babies through an open gate.

SHE. FOUGHT. IT. OFF.

Im so proud of her. It was amazing to see, and she still has all 13 babies.

unbelievable.

I’m a little sad that they will likely be back, it’s probably feeding it’s own babies, but I locked everyone up and today we are winning.

now I have to disinfect my feet.

Nurturing seems same for all mothers regardless of species. What a brave mama proving that point!

 

[Trisseh]

Internal pips on all 3 duck eggs when I got home from work! these guys are (hopefully) going to be not too early. Today was day 25 so they’re right on time. how long do y’all wait before putting in a safety hole if needed? I’m not 100% sure when these pipped, sometime between 6 am and now... the one may have already been internally pipped this morning but it was really hard to tell...