chick just hatched

[chommy]

hi, we have a mamma chicken and her first egg has hatched, this happened maybe 8 hours ago, i tryed to put some chick feed into the laying box but the chick cant seem to eat it, what should i feed her?

 

[The Happster]

Chick doesn't actually need to eat straight away. How many more eggs are under the hen?
It's easier to feed them once the mum is in chick mode and off the nest with her chicks. She can teach them that way.

 

[chommy]

Chick doesn't actually need to eat straight away. How many more eggs are under the hen?
It's easier to feed them once the mum is in chick mode and off the nest with her chicks. She can teach them that way.

3 more eggs under her but there all a day apart. the mama started sitting on an egg that wasnt hers and the chicken who layed it continued to come back to the box while the mama was on the egg. every day one more egg showed up, does this mean all the chicks will be a day apart?

 

[The Happster]

That would, yes. Not the best situation because either the mum will wait for the last ones, and the chick will get hungry, or she will get off and leave the hatching eggs with her chicks.
The chick could last a couple days without food because it has just absorbed the yolk, but it sounds like it will take more than that for the rest of the eggs to hatch.
Do you have an incubator as backup?
You might be able to take the chick out, feed it and bring it back, but that might prompt the hen to follow her cheeping chick.

 

[chommy]

That would, yes. Not the best situation because either the mum will wait for the last ones, and the chick will get hungry, or she will get off and leave the hatching eggs with her chicks.
The chick could last a couple days without food because it has just absorbed the yolk, but it sounds like it will take more than that for the rest of the eggs to hatch.
Do you have an incubator as backup?
You might be able to take the chick out, feed it and bring it back, but that might prompt the hen to follow her cheeping chick.

i tryed to take the chick from the mama, and the chick wasnt to happy, i gave her dry food and she seemed like she couldnt swallow it so i mixed there chick food with a little water, that way its small enough for them to swallow it. i put it into a bottle cap and set it in the laying box, once the mama started eating it the first chick started eating to, though she didnt eat much. i dont know if the chick isnt hungry or if she is just picky. sadly i dont have an inkubater but the mama is doing a pretty good job so far. thankyou for the advice ill keep an eye on the mama =)