A Pip and a zip!!! and Minny is a MOMMA !!!! we have a chick!!!!

[momofdrew]

This is our very first hatch!!! Everything I have read about raising chicks does not say anything about when you let your broody hen hatch them...My very first hatchling is 1 hour old... under momma... will she show it where the food and water is when it is strong enough...should I give it vitamins in the waterer??? I know it will require medicated starter feed but can momma eat the same stuff... We are waiting for the other 5 eggs to do something...Hopefully by morning...

 

[willowcol]

Yeah for you and momma!!! Never had a broody so no help there, just want to say good luck with the others.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Congrats on the new fuzzy butt

Mama will show the chicks everything so no worries there. I am not sure about the medicated feed part, when i hatch chicks at home i never feed them medicated feed nor have i ever had sick chicks from not feeding them the medicated stuff. Its your choice whether or not to feed it to them. It is truely an awesome experience to watch mama hen take such good care of her babies. Good luck with them

good hatching vibes coming your way

 

[momofdrew]

Chicken addict so what do you feed the babies I thought all starter feed was medicated???

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Chick starter comes in medicated or non-medicated, although around here the non-medicated was harder to find.
Congrats on your new addition.

 

[birdlover]

I always use the medicated chick starter but it's okay not to. Ask at the feed store what they have. Place the food near momma and the baby. She is still sitting on eggs and best not to make her get up. In your other post you said you put a couple of the eggs under her a couple of days after she started sitting on the first two. Keep a close eye out that she stays sitting as, sometimes, they will leave the nest after the first ones have hatched and your later eggs won't hatch for a couple of more days. Just a friendly warning.

 

[Southerngirl]

She will set 2-3 days on the nest once the babies start to hatch. Then after the 3rd day she will take them out for food and water. She knows what to do !! Enjoy ! It is so much fun watching a broody with her babies.

Other than adding some vitamin/electrolyte mix to their water I would not worry about anything else. Good luck !

 

[Appytaz]

It is sooo much fun to watch a momma with her new babies! We have one that is not too interested in us humans seeing them at first. And one that brought them to the front door and "knocked" (she literally pecked at the door) for us to come see what she had and give them feed.
Enjoy your little miracles! The grow so fast.
And letting momma take care of them is soooo much easier on you!

 

[momofdrew]

woke up to the second one this morning so that is the 2 that where layed the 8th so if we are lucky 2 today and 2 tomorrow...If we dont get hatches by Sat do we figure there will not be any more or should I wait till Sunda to take them out...




this is the second hatch the other is shy

 

[momofdrew]

and another

thats 3 in 3 days...3 eggs to go... Momma is VERY protective...willl get more picturs when I can