Afghan Chicks: I need an answer ASAP!

[pysop7]

I fell in on a 2 roosters and 4 hens in Feb.

One of the Hens had three chicks hatch. We decide to let her hatch the chicks because we don't have a proper incubator and brooder (I learned all these new terms on this website.) We can make a brooder but we'd have to keep it outside, as there is no room in our rooms here for one. So, I'm currently letting the 3 of the 4 hens tend to the chicks.

They're doing well so far, they're about 1 wk old.

Can I let the hen do all the work? I'm not sure if the chicks are getting food, and where i'm at getting medicated chicken feed is outta of the question. Their diet consists of mainly corn with some nuts. I feed them every morning, and open the cage for the chickens to roam the land. They come back about 15 mins before sundown like clock work.

Will the droppings from the other chickens overwhelm the chicks? We expanded the coup the other day and I took the opportunity to clean out all the poop.

So here are some more questions:

How do the hens keep the chicks warm? (I want to hear what you guys have to say, but i've noticed the chicks just stay under the hen)

Are the Hens capable of raising the chicks from 1-60 then 60-120?

I'm asking these questions because I've exhausted my resources looking in the Raising Chickens 101. This website is VERY informative and i've learned a lot about what I'd do back in the states, but in Afghanistan, it's a whole another ball game. Here, turkeys and chickens run around the country side. Finding seeds, splashing in the mud, etc.

I'll try to post some pictures of the coup and the new chicks.

Chime in with any questions or comments. i want to learn as much as I can.

Thanks,

Chris.

 

[Mahonri]

Chris, corn and nuts won't cut it for baby chicks.

If you can put the corn & nuts in a blender that would help... they need tiny feed.

Many times a hen will help the little ones find food, pieces of grass, insects etc... but if you want them to grow and be healthy, then you need to get them a better diet.

Can you buy wheat or barley anywhere? Perhaps you could also put that in a blender.

Babies need protein.

Good luck.

 

[Mahonri]

Most often hens will keep the little ones warm.

I had 4 that hatched out on Feb. 15th and they are now big enough that she lets them roost on their own.... but sometimes I will find one or two of them under her wings on the roost.

 

[off-grid hen]

A reputable book On raising chickens says to mix wheat, corn, and oatmeal equal parts in a blender and feed in addition to mashed boiled eggs. If you are feeding them this, they will also need some sort of grit/sand to help them digest. The book says to avoid barley b/c it's harder to digest. The grains are high in carbs but not protein. Chicks need protein.

Are they allowed to forage? If so, then mama will teach them what to eat. Thats if they have enough forage space to find bugs and other protein sources. You could catch and feed bugs too, I guess.

What are others in your area feeding their chickens?

 

[galanie]

Another idea on giving them protein is meat if you can't give them enough another way. Like chopped chicken. I know, it sounds like cannibalism but chickens are omnivorous, they do eat meat and babies will eat cooked chicken just fine.

 

[pysop7]

Just a quick update everybody.

The chicks are doing very well. The hen is doing a good job at taking care of the chicks, she keeps them warm at night, and cracks the big pieces of feed into smaller pieces so they can eat it.

All I can do is clean the cage, give them water, and feed them.

That's it. The chicks are starting to get curious, and they LOVE playing in the water. Anyways, The Point is the hen is doing all the work. I don't have the time, unfortunately, to dedicate all my time in raising these things.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Chris

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Glad they're doing so well! Mother Nature is great... and Mama Hens really know their stuff!

 

[pysop7]

Mother Nature is Great! lol

We're raising chickens for the eggs. We stopped collecting them for the past two months to see if they'd hatch, three did, now i'm going to start collecting the eggs everyday. We don't have access to fresh eggs out here, so it'll be nice to juggle between frozen/dried eggs and fresh ones.

I'm hoping the hens start producing more now. At one point we had 12 in one week.

My only question now is: How long do I have before an egg is inedible? one day? four days?

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Chris

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:
Fresh eggs can last quite a long time. Months, I believe. Do you have access to refrigeration? I keep mine on the counter, unwashed for at least a week.

Oh, I'm editing because the eggs you are talking about could be fertile, right? In that case you will want them refrigerated. And, I'm not the one to ask about fertilized eggs, as I don't have a rooster...

 

[mmaddie's mom]

You can leave them at room temp. for quite a while IF you have NOT washed the bloom off of them. Bloom is a coating that the hen puts on them before they are hatched to kinda seal them... if you wash them, the bloom will be gone and they HAVE to be refrigerated.
A way to test them to see if they are too far gone is to put them in warm water to float them... it they lay flat on the bottom=fresh, if the large end tips up a bit=still fresh, just not as much, if end tips up 1/2 way=you can still use them, if they float straight up=I wouldn't use them, if they float to the top=NO,NO,NO!
Hope that helps.

edited to add... my eggs are fertile... same ^