1st time chicks for us....need some direction!

[Sara Mezzano]

We have 12 hens and one roo and just today I noticed two new baby chicks in the coop. One is still under the hen and one was outside alone...not sure if the one fell out or how it got out there...I've been watching them for a few days and they both must have been hatched within the last 24-48 hours. Momma is also sitting on a few more eggs that we have marked, anticipating they'll hatch within a day or two. So...what do I do now?! We want to let them be as natural as possible but don't I need to give them different food? How do I do that without separating them from mom? Also, what about the one running around outside away from mom? That poor hen can't be in two places at once and her priority is to sit on the others! Should I separate the babies? If so for how long? It's plenty warm here so temp is not a concern at the moment. Thanks for any help!

 

[lazy gardener]

I would put that baby back under the broody. Did she start brooding all of the eggs at the same time, or were there some added a bit later. What you are seeing is the very reason why it's so important to set all of the eggs on the same day, and not allow any late entries. You may have to either pull the chicks, or pull the remaining eggs. You are right, the hen can't manage both. What you can do is put some chick feed and water very close to her nest, and hope that will keep the babies fed and close to her while she hatches the rest of the eggs. You might need to pen the babies up with her. When I have chicks, the entire flock goes on unmedicated chick starter until the pullets are old enough to go on layer.

 

[Sara Mezzano]

Thank you for he response. They were all laid within a day or so of each other to the best I could determine. (We marked them when she started to get broody and took out unmarked every day) I stuck the one back under momma and she accepted it fine. So maybe what's best is to separate the nesting box from the other birds and put down the right food and water dish and then just see what happens with the other eggs. How long do I keep them separate and how many more days is it safe to leave momma on the other eggs? If they don't hatch within a day or two should I remove them so mom can focus on the chicks?

Thanks again!

 

[BonDEEroo]

Hi, there's lots of information on BYC on this situation. Usually the hen knows what to do, just keep watch what goes on. Make sure there is a feeder with chick starter crumbles right near the nest, and water. That way mother and babies can easily access food and water. Chicks absorb their yolks which they can survive on for 2-3 days after hatching, but after that they will need food and water. Chick starter is recommended for them to thrive. And carefully monitor the situation in case there's any aggression to the chicks. If that happens, you need to separate mother and chicks from the others. Only if the mother shows aggression to her chicks, should you separate the chicks into a brooder with a heat source, food and water.

 

[BonDEEroo]

Give the other eggs a bit longer but certainly not more than a week

 

[Sara Mezzano]

Thanks! One other question.... the nesting boxes are about 2 feet off the ground. If I put food and water down will the chicks get down there? I know I know....I'm chicken illiterate!

 

[BonDEEroo]

Better move the hen and chicks down to ground level - the chicks are too small to negotiate a 2 foot drop and might be hurt.

 

[Cowdoggin]

Moving the hens Is a good idea, as long as the Hen wants to move. Sometimes you get a very stubborn hen and she WILL NOT move, no matter what. If thats the case You may have to remove the chicks, feed them and put them back. Or completely remove them all together.

Have you tried to candle the other eggs to see if they are still going?

 

[azygous]

What do you feed your flock? If you feed an all flock feed instead of layer, you can feed that to chicks. It's almost identical except for a slightly higher protein content than chick starter. If you're feeding layer, I recommend you put it away and feed the all flock feed to the entire flock with oyster shell for the layers.

It's surprising how many folks get caught unawares with high nest boxes when chicks hatch. The little things simply aren't able to get out and into a nest several feet off the floor. They won't be able to navigate those heights until they're nearly three weeks or older.

It's best to anticipate eggs hatching and fix up a floor nest for your broody. Moving her now will be stressful and tricky. I would wait until you're sure all the eggs have hatched that are going to before trying to move her and the chicks. The chicks can go a couple days without food and water, but by the third day, they should be on the ground with food and water easy for them to access.

 

[Sara Mezzano]

Thank you everyone for the advice! We put fresh hay down and moved the nest to the floor. Today we plan to separate the mom and new chicks from the rest of the flock for a little while and see how it goes!