chicks hatched today! OK to move to broody?

[watership]

This was our first hatch ever! I had 6 white ameraucana eggs in the bator when our mottled java went broody, so we gave her 2 of the eggs to sit on (we wanted more in the bator so we could watch them hatch ). Well, all 4 in the bator hatched today ( hooray!) and there's one fluffy chick under the broody that we've spotted (we dont want to bother her too much in case the other egg has pipped). They are sooo cute! So now I'm wondering, When can I move the chicks to the broody so she can raise them? I dont want to jeopardize the last egg under her, but I don't want the chicks to get so old that she won't take them. And I should move them under her at night, right?

 

[steelersfan43]

Definitely move them at night. I would keep a close eye on her though to make sure she will take to them ok and not hurt them. She should still sit on the last one ok I would think if they are all that young. Otherwise you might move that to the incubator to finish. Pretty much it all depends on her. Some hens are very easy going on that type of thing and others aren't and don't take to chicks that aren't "theirs" and end up killing them. I hope that it all goes good with whatever you decide to do though. Congrats on your hatch

 

[watership]

Hmm, how can you tell if a hen is easy going or not? She certainly is very friendly towards us- the kids hold her every day, and she hasn't minded them petting her while she's been on the nest. I would hate to put the chicks under her and have her kill one! Devastating!

 

[steelersfan43]

If she's ok with you handling her while she is on the nest, maybe you should just try putting one chick under her and watching to see how she does. Then if she is ok with that for a while why you watch, try putting the rest under there. I would just keep an eye on her. It's hard to know what she will do. It really doesn't have a lot to do with her being friendly towards people just how strong her mothering instinct is i guess. I've put babies under a mom that had chicks and had her do ok and then another not want them and they were both very sweet girls, both used to my kids holding them too. Thats why I say the best thing is to watch closely. I would hate for you to lose one.

 

[watership]

OK, thanks, took your advice and put one under her ( the loudest one, who could sleep with her in the house?!) and Alice ( the broody) rustled the chick under her and clucked away ... I hope it was a calm cluck, I'm not so good at interpreting chicken-speak. I also felt the egg (no external pip), so I moved it to the incubator just in case it's a late hatcher.

If temps have been stable (I love our little Brinsea!) and all the others hatched today, isn't it likely that this last one died?

 

[steelersfan43]

not necessarily, sometimes you get a late hatcher. we usually let ours stay for a few extra days. if she tucked it under her thats a good sign