Chick just hatched

[mi2bugz]

What are the immediate needs of a baby chick bring raised by a broody hen? Fresh food and water available. Do they need the medicated chick starter? Electrolytes? How do they get in and out of nesting box 12" off ground to eat/drink? Any and all help appreciated! We weren't expecting them for another 2 days. Thought it was 21 days to hatch so figured I still had research time!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Calm down, mama will take care of everything! She and her babies probably won't get out of the nest for the first few days as the chicks are still too young. You should try putting some food and water in the nest. If other hens have to use the nest or the nest isn't very big, then consider putting mama and chicks in a dog crate for the first few days. The chicks don't need medicated feed or electrolytes; just the chick feed. Below is two links also.

Best wishes!

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/05/annie-and-her-chicks-hatching-eggs.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks

 

[mi2bugz]

Thank you!!!

I have only gotten through part of the first one and wondered a couple of things. The nesting box is up @ 12". Should I move them to ground level? And the nursery I have mom and chicks in is open on the bottom (hardware cloth used around the base). Should they be ok or need medicated feed? What about coccidiosis and exposure to open ground?

 

[Folly's place]

I'd recommend moving the chicks and hen to a large dog crate, or some private space, in the coop if there's room. I feed broody hens and then the chicks Flock Raiser; haven't ever had a problem with coccidiosis here. After five to seven days, I open the crate and let the family come out, when the flock is free ranging. The broody will bring them back to the cage, or at least the coop floor, at night. I make sure that the chicks can get in and out; temporary steps at sills until they obviously are okay with the heights. Twelve inches is too much! Mary

 

[mi2bugz]

We bought this coop as a nursery for them to be hatched in. Figured mom and chicks would curl up on the ground of the coop in a bed of hay. Would moving them onto the ground with hay in the nursery coop suffice or is it better to get the crate and put it in the coop? Would hate to waste the $230 we paid for the nursery coop . Our introduction to the main flock plan was to let the older birds free range around the nursery coop for the first week and then do free range times together and nightly housing back in the nursery coop until we felt everyone was getting along great.

 

[mi2bugz]

So we still only have 1 chick. We did not put eggs under her. She gathered 6 before we knew she was really broody. Only 2 were viable. Can I leave the egg under her until she stops sitting on it or take it out after x # of days? Will 1 chick be ok with the rest of the flock in a week or so or should I look around for more chicks NOW? I couldn't find any local so wondered if I should have some shipped ASAP!