Broody hatched 3 babies and left the nest, got locked up in a separate area and another baby hatched and looks really weak

[ducklover128]

I heard the newest baby hollering for its mom, and got the mom back on the nest. The baby looked almost dry, and really weak. It could barely hold it's little head up. Should I do anything for it? Does it need to eat right now? Does it need water? The momma and her 4 babies are in the nesting box, where she was sitting. I don't know if any more eggs will hatch. I'm afraid to move them. Please and thank you for any advice to help me help her and the baby. In the nesting box, they have straw as bedding. She is sitting on the eggs again, so will the 3 hatched babies stay in there with her? Should I put food and water in there? She is the first chicken to hatch any babies for us, so we are clueless. When they first hatch, aren't they wet? How long does it take them to dry? How long before they are completely out of the shell? Don't they live off the yolk for a little while? Omg so many questions. And I feel it's best to let the momma handle it, but I don't wanna do nothing and the baby die.....if there's something I can do to help make the baby stronger, I'm on it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[SmiYa0126]

When they first hatch they can barely hold their head up. If you think it's chilled I would put it in an incubator and then once it's fluffy you can put it back under momma. They will start to drink after 24 to 48 hours. I would monitor to make sure they're drinking and that mom is tid bitting for the chicks to show them how to eat.

 

[ducklover128]

When they first hatch they can barely hold their head up. If you think it's chilled I would put it in an incubator and then once it's fluffy you can put it back under momma. They will start to drink after 24 to 48 hours. I would monitor to make sure they're drinking and that mom is rid bitting for the chicks to show them how to eat.

What is rid bitting? She had the 3 in another area and was showing them to forage and eat, she just couldn't get back to the nest. Unfortunately, we dont have an incubator. When they hatch, how long do they have shell stuck to them? I didn't pick it up because it felt like it had shell still stuck to it. I couldn't see in there good enough to SEE what was happening, without touching and moving everything. I don't know if any more will hatch, so I didn't wanna move anything. Thank you for replying.

 

[SmiYa0126]

*tid bitting, it's soft fast clucking and showing the babies how to eat.

You night need to help baby to get any crust or shell off so it can get nice and fluffy. They really shouldn't have she'll stuck to them. Can you get a pic?

 

[ducklover128]

*tid bitting, it's soft fast clucking and showing the babies how to eat.

You night need to help baby to get any crust or shell off so it can get nice and fluffy. They really shouldn't have she'll stuck to them. Can you get a pic?

I don't know for sure there's shell still stuck to it, and momma wanted to kill me when I squatted down in front of the nesting box. . I'll go see if I can get a pic. When I came in, momma had the baby under her. She was making fast clucking noises before I had to get her back in the nesting box, so she is doing what she's supposed to do. If I try to move her off the baby to get a pic, do you think she will accidentally trample anybody?

 

[SmiYa0126]

That's a good mama, if chick is under her I would wait until tomorrow. Put food and water out for her and the chicks.

 

[ducklover128]

Should I put the food and water in the nesting box with them? Should I try to keep her and the babies separate from everybody else by somehow putting a piece of fence or something in the front of the nesting box?

 

[ducklover128]

That's a good mama, if chick is under her I would wait until tomorrow. Put food and water out for her and the chicks.

And I should just leave them alone, as far as checking for attached shell? I'm on pins and needles over here. I'm sorry for all the questions. I just wanna make sure I do everything right. And I wanna do everything I can to help, but I'm afraid my stupid human thinking isn't what's best to help the baby. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Strawberry74]

Are these chickens or ducks? Lol. I wasn't sure.

Anyway, I always keep ducklings and chicks separate from the others for the first several days. I've never had it happen but have had friends "lose" chicks or ducklings with no trace when they get away from mama by accident and she is still sitting on the hatch. Not sure if they wander off or get eaten by others or what, but I don't like to run the risk.

 

[ducklover128]

They are chickens. Our very first chicks hatched out here so I feel like a dad at the hospital waiting on news about his wife and quadruplets