Broody hen hatched a chick

[MrModina]

I have a very broody quail that was beating up everyone else in the coop so we separated her with her eggs in a cat carrier. It's been 18 days and she has a chick! The chick looks healthy. We've never had a broody quail maintain interest for the whole time of incubation. We've only hatched quail with an incubator. What should we do to help her and keep the chick alive? Should we take the little chick away from her and put it in a separate brooder? The weather is going to be in the mid70s through low 80s this week. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Nabiki]

I would watch her. If she's taking care of the chick, leave it with her. If she's not get it into a brooder.

It's so hard to predict what any given bird will do until you see them do it.

 

[MrModina]

I would watch her. If she's taking care of the chick, leave it with her. If she's not get it into a brooder.

It's so hard to predict what any given bird will do until you see them do it.

Good advice. Thank you

 

[FloorCandy]

I have a very broody quail that was beating up everyone else in the coop so we separated her with her eggs in a cat carrier. It's been 18 days and she has a chick! The chick looks healthy. We've never had a broody quail maintain interest for the whole time of incubation. We've only hatched quail with an incubator. What should we do to help her and keep the chick alive? Should we take the little chick away from her and put it in a separate brooder? The weather is going to be in the mid70s through low 80s this week. Any advice would be appreciated. View attachment 2821239

You need to put chick sized feed and a safe waterer in for the chick. If she doesn’t attack the chick, and allows it to climb into her feathers, she should lead it to the feed and water and teach it. I just let my broody eat chick feed for the duration of her brooding, and it went fine.

 

[Nabiki]

You need to put chick sized feed and a safe waterer in for the chick. If she doesn’t attack the chick, and allows it to climb into her feathers, she should lead it to the feed and water and teach it. I just let my broody eat chick feed for the duration of her brooding, and it went fine.

If the hen is doing her job and you put the tiny food in the same area that the hen eats, she'll show the chick how to eat and drink. The chicks are good little copycats. Once one figures it out, the rest follow very quickly.