Emergency heat source?

[Animalian]

I found a chick in my coop cold and not moving, heated him up to peeping/running around. I thought it was just because his mum is a first timer that he got left out so slipped him back under her (after dark) hoping all would be ok. I went back two hours later to here LOUD peeping, looked in and there he was NEXT to mum, his feet and fuzz cold, she was ignoring him.

I thought peeping was "come make me warm mumma" noise.... why isn't she doing anything? I'm scared he'll be dead in the morning. I'm considering taking him from her, she has two other chicks and they all seem to be doing fine...

I'm confused why she's doing this and WILL take the chick from her if he's exposed when I go to check on them next, but need an emergency heat source for overnight (I used a heat pack before, that won't last) until I can buy proper gear in the morning.

Any suggestions or advice please.

oh and he hatched this morning, the other chicks hatched yesterday morning and the day before that so they are stronger and more sure on their feet then he is.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You can use a drop cord light, a lamp, anything to lower a 100 watt light bulb close enough over a chick(s). In a smaller box, heat is retained very well. If you cover 2/3 of the top of the box, even more heat can be retained.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

A sock full of rice or bottle of water heated in the microwave work well if you don't want to use a heat lamp. The rice sock will hold heat longer than the water bottle. If the hen is sitting on the other chicks, the newbie just needs to pop under her. Is she "talking" to the chicks? I've had babies that just didn't seem to understand they should stay under their mom, I usually just check often and put them back under the broody if they aren't where they're supposed to be. Good luck!

 

[SteveBaz]

Cant keep putting it under her and she might take her in after a couple of trys. Maybe being new is freaking her out. Not the first time a hen went to the dark side!

 

[Animalian]

Wow she was a stupid hen. Lovely, but stupid.
She ended up dying when they were 10 weeks because she just wouldn't eat, she would feed the babies but not herself, and injured herself when I tried to separate them.

As for the three chicks, the lucky chick I found broke her leg when it was 13 weeks old, and because I was out of town and my mum was looking after them she had it put down... The second youngest chick had some sort of neurological problem and failure to thrive so was put down at 6 weeks, it was suffering.
The first hatched chick is still going strong, almost 6 months old, the only cockerel of the three. Big black beautiful and best of all SILENT lol