Abandoned Baby Chick

[Allycaldwell]

Hello! I have wild chickens that are native to my neighborhood (Ybor City). I am by no means an expert, just looking for some advice!
There were two separate hens nesting with fertilized eggs on separate parts of my property. The first had 6 eggs hatch and she left with them. There is one left that is having some trouble getting out of its shell. I removed a small part of the outer shell to try to help it along and have left it to hopefully do the rest.
Could I place this new baby with the hen that is still nesting? Will she take care of it or will she harm it?
It doesn’t seem that the mother is coming back.
Not sure if I am better of letting the other chicken play surrogate or try to care for it myself?

 

[FrappcinoObsession]

Hello! I have wild chickens that are native to my neighborhood (Ybor City). I am by no means an expert, just looking for some advice!
There were two separate hens nesting with fertilized eggs on separate parts of my property. The first had 6 eggs hatch and she left with them. There is one left that is having some trouble getting out of its shell. I removed a small part of the outer shell to try to help it along and have left it to hopefully do the rest.
Could I place this new baby with the hen that is still nesting? Will she take care of it or will she harm it?
It doesn’t seem that the mother is coming back.
Not sure if I am better of letting the other chicken play surrogate or try to care for it myself?

Yes but Id keep an eye on the chicks some hens will kill them if you do not do it the right way she has to have some eggs left to trick her mind. Put the chicks under her and make sure she does not notice them.

 

[Chicalina]

Hold on. Unless her eggs are at the point of hatch, she will likely abandon them to take care of the chick. Then those babies will die in the shell.

If you know she has been on the nest close to 3 weeks, then I'd care for the chick myself. Maybe try and graft it on to her when hers hatch, though that could be tricky.

 

[FrappcinoObsession]

Hold on. Unless her eggs are at the point of hatch, she will likely abandon them to take care of the chick. Then those babies will die in the shell.

If you know she has been on the nest close to 3 weeks, then I'd care for the chick myself. Maybe try and graft it on to her when hers hatch, though that could be tricky.

No she wont my I did this to multiple hens that had some eggs that were pipped but I sucessfully snuck chicks under her and she took care of them.

 

[Chicalina]

It really depends on the timing. Up to 36 hours difference between first chick and last egg to hatch is fine. If it is days before they hatch, then she will abandon the eggs and nest to take care of the chick.

Do you know how long she has been on the eggs already?