Single chick hatched under broody

[Slothinc]

I have a mama who hatched a surprise chick this morning. It was a surprise because I thought the egg wasn’t developing because it was brown and I couldn’t see through the shell very well, and it had been 22-23 days of incubation. I had put 3 shipped eggs under the mama and two for sure didn’t develop so I tossed them a week or so ago. I had planned to toss the last one today and break my broodies and then I was shocked to see a chick sitting there!! That is my only chick - none of the incubator eggs made it. Will it do okay being alone with the mom? Or do I need to find more chicks? For some reason no one around here really has day olds, the only ones I can find are very far away. I never buy chicks from feed stores as I prefer to buy local. Is it really important to get more babies for this chick?

Also should I try to break the other broody moms? I could give them some fertile eggs that I have coming in the mail, but that means they would be broody and sitting for like 2x longer than normal. I don’t really want to give them chicks, as I have a small flock and am trying to be selective about the breeds that I am bringing in, and they aren’t able to be found around here. Thanks for any insight - this is the first time I’ve had a broody hatch anything and now I’m wishing I would have put more shipped eggs under the broodies because they are having a horrible time in the incubator.

 

[NatJ]

That is my only chick - none of the incubator eggs made it. Will it do okay being alone with the mom? Or do I need to find more chicks?

It should be fine.

If you raise a chick alone in a brooder, it is lonely and unhappy, and it does not learn how to interact properly with other chickens. Those problems do not happen when the chick is being raised by a broody hen.

At some point, most hens decide the chick is old enough, and quit acting motherly. If the hen refuses to associate with the chick, it will be lonely and unhappy until it is mature enough to join the adult pecking order. It still knows how to interact with chickens, so it will be okay again once it reaches maturity. A group of chicks would have each other for company at this stage.

Some hens do not seem to "wean" their chicks that way. I think this is more common with single chicks, especially just one daughter, and less common with larger groups or with males. If the hen lets her chick keep hanging around with her, the chick skips that lonely stage of being left alone. I do not have any way to predict how your hen will act with her chick.

 

[Slothinc]

Thanks NatJ! I decided that I’ll make the hour trip today to go and get two more chicks from someone who hatched them yesterday. Hopefully mama will accept them and this way the baby can have some friends.

 

[NatJ]

Thanks NatJ! I decided that I’ll make the hour trip today to go and get two more chicks from someone who hatched them yesterday. Hopefully mama will accept them and this way the baby can have some friends.

That sounds like a good plan.
Yes, hopefully the broody weill accept them

 

[Debbie292d]

We've had an orphan once because I kept out a partridge and didn't sell it. I had no broodies at that time.

So we raised it in our brooder. I left the TV on all day that kept him company. He grew up just fine and learned to interact with the other chickens. I sadly rehomed him though as I had been hoping he was a she, and was not.




He makes a fine rooster for his new owner and her little flock of silkies. She sent me this one as she caught the deer and him eyeballing each other.

 

[Ridgerunner]

should I try to break the other broody moms? I could give them some fertile eggs that I have coming in the mail, but that means they would be broody and sitting for like 2x longer than normal. I don’t really want to give them chicks, as I have a small flock and am trying to be selective about the breeds that I am bringing in, and they aren’t able to be found around here.

Before they even start laying hens build up excess fat. That fat is mostly wheat they live on while broody so they can stay on the nest and take care of the eggs. Some hens store more fat than others and some come off of the nest and eat more than others so there is no set time before they run out of fat. When they run out of that excess fat most hens break from being broody. I arbitrarily use 5 weeks as how long I want a hen to be broody before her eggs hatch or I break her and don't give her eggs. I've never had a hen break from being broody once I gave her eggs. I suspect the majority of your hens would make six weeks fine but I can't give you any guarantees.

It sounds like you have an incubator with those eggs coming. I'd give them to a hen and see what happens. If she abandons them you can always put them in the incubator.

 

[Slothinc]

We've had an orphan once because I kept out a partridge and didn't sell it. I had no broodies at that time.

So we raised it in our brooder. I left the TV on all day that kept him company. He grew up just fine and learned to interact with the other chickens. I sadly rehomed him though as I had been hoping he was a she, and was not.

View attachment 3820965View attachment 3820986


He makes a fine rooster for his new owner and her little flock of silkies. She sent me this one as she caught the deer and him eyeballing each other.
View attachment 3820983

So cute Deb! That is amazing that you were able to raise a singleton in a brooder! Good job and he turned out just gorgeous

 

[Slothinc]

Before they even start laying hens build up excess fat. That fat is mostly wheat they live on while broody so they can stay on the nest and take care of the eggs. Some hens store more fat than others and some come off of the nest and eat more than others so there is no set time before they run out of fat. When they run out of that excess fat most hens break from being broody. I arbitrarily use 5 weeks as how long I want a hen to be broody before her eggs hatch or I break her and don't give her eggs. I've never had a hen break from being broody once I gave her eggs. I suspect the majority of your hens would make six weeks fine but I can't give you any guarantees.

It sounds like you have an incubator with those eggs coming. I'd give them to a hen and see what happens. If she abandons them you can always put them in the incubator.

Thank you so much for that info! That is so interesting about the body fat! I went ahead and stuck a few eggs under each of the two broodies and also put some in the incubator today. If they break, I’ll transfer them to the incubator!

The new chicks seem to be doing great with their mom and the single chick that she hatched. I didn’t even do anything special to introduce them, just handed them to her in broad daylight and she was like “Sure, I’ll take them!” Haha

 

[Charlotteandfriends]

I have a mama who hatched a surprise chick this morning. It was a surprise because I thought the egg wasn’t developing because it was brown and I couldn’t see through the shell very well, and it had been 22-23 days of incubation. I had put 3 shipped eggs under the mama and two for sure didn’t develop so I tossed them a week or so ago. I had planned to toss the last one today and break my broodies and then I was shocked to see a chick sitting there!! That is my only chick - none of the incubator eggs made it. Will it do okay being alone with the mom? Or do I need to find more chicks? For some reason no one around here really has day olds, the only ones I can find are very far away. I never buy chicks from feed stores as I prefer to buy local. Is it really important to get more babies for this chick?

Also should I try to break the other broody moms? I could give them some fertile eggs that I have coming in the mail, but that means they would be broody and sitting for like 2x longer than normal. I don’t really want to give them chicks, as I have a small flock and am trying to be selective about the breeds that I am bringing in, and they aren’t able to be found around here. Thanks for any insight - this is the first time I’ve had a broody hatch anything and now I’m wishing I would have put more shipped eggs under the broodies because they are having a horrible time in the incubator.

Hi there! Congrats on the little chick! I recently had a broody momma hatch out three eggs but two of them died in the process of hatching... The one chick did perfectly fine following, and foraging with it's mamma in the yard! The broody is VERY protective of the chicks and is smart on how to avoid predators. The chick will have it's momma to give it plenty of company so there is nothing to worry about! Good luck to you!

 

[NatJ]

The new chicks seem to be doing great with their mom and the single chick that she hatched. I didn’t even do anything special to introduce them, just handed them to her in broad daylight and she was like “Sure, I’ll take them!” Haha

Some hens are like that. It's very convenient when you want to give them chicks!