What to feed the new Babies???

[Nystra]

Ok so my light brahma went broody.. Figured what the heck why not throw some eggs under her. So she has her own along with a few from my Buff Orpington both fathered by my Americana Roo. I know theres chicks in the eggs cause one of my new americana hens is super ditzy jumped in on her and squished a egg. little chick half grown inside so I know for sure theres babies growing. If i'm correct in timing they are due to hatch around the 28th of this month give or take... But when they hatch I will be taking them away from momma and raising them inside in a brooder. Now my current chickens are all about one year old and hatchery chicks. So what do I feed the new babies? Medicated feed? or regular chick crumbles? and will they be ok to integrate with my current flock when they get older or no because they aren't vaccinated or anything? these will be our first babies of our own so we are very excited. I do want them to be as happy and healthy as I can so any or all pointers are appreciated!

OH!!! and! how long after hatching should I remove any unhatched eggs?? I worry that my other hen might have laid a egg or two in there recently cause I came out and she was sitting on them for a hour or so then when I came back out the brahma was back on the clutch.

 

[Tiramisu]

Quote:
I would just use regular crumbles. With taking the eggs it depends, I would say after a majority of the chicks have hatched wait 1 more day and if any of the unhatched eggs aren't pipped/cracked then you can move the chicks to the brooder and take the older ones out or let her sit longer if you want, just don't let her set on them too long because if they are duds they will go rotten fast. It will be fine integrating them since they are of your own flock and not from anywhere else.

 

[muddyhorse]

medicated or non med is personal prefference. I use med. give the eggs an extra 3-4 days to hatch. wait until they are plenty big before reintegrating them with the old flock.

 

[elmo]

Just curious about why on earth you would plan to take chicks away from a broody hen and brood them artificially? That's so much work! Why not let the hen do it as nature intended?

Last spring, we hatched three batches of chicks out under three broodies, and let them raise the chicks themselves. The experience will go down in my life as one of the most wonderful and memorable experiences I've ever had. My daughter and I took out camp chairs, set them up outside the broody pens, and just enjoyed watching each hen with her own batch of chicks.

We fed plain chick starter. When chicks are raised naturally with their hen, they pick up some immunities from being with her. None of our chicks had any health issues. In fact, they grew faster and bigger and feathered out much more quickly than the batch I had artificially brooded the year before (because I had no hens to do the job).

 

[Nystra]

Quote:
Because we dont have a separate section to keep them while the chicks grow. I'm too afraid my big roo or one of the other spazztastic hens will hurt the babies.. as I said I recently acquired 2 Americana hens they are the most skittish flighty spazzy birds I've ever seen. they have already cause the smooshing of one egg.. once the chicks hatch and dry out they will come inside with us until they are about 4months old to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

 

[Nystra]

So unless I can get the brooder building changed into a little tractor.... I'll have to give the boyfriend the pouty eyes see If I can't make that happen