First Chick Was Just Born What Do I Do? Just Added Pix

[GIL323]

hi, i just got home from work and i heard a lil chirp and i saw my chicken move and i could see a lil chick under her....the other eggs havent hatched yet and she laid back on top of the lil chick.....is that ok.....will the lil chick die under her?....should i just leave the chicken to hatch the rest of the eggs and not mess with it?....i can hear the lil chick chirping but i cant see it cuz its tucked under the chicken?.....when do i have to feed the lil chick? can i separate the chick from the mother right now till the others are born?....

 

[bjmstahl]

Just leave Mom and baby alone. She keeping her baby warm.

As to feeding, from what I've read on the posts of other people, the baby doesn't usually eat for a day or so. By the way, congratuations!

 

[GIL323]

ok thanks.....the mom is in an easter basket and i think she had 11 eggs under her....when can i feed the chicks and when i do do i jst throw some baby chick food in the basket?

 

[bjmstahl]

Hi Gil323,

I'm not sure when to feed or what but I thought I'd let you know that you have enough time to wait for others to post an answer. The chick doesn't need to eat right away. I'm a chicken owner wantabe. I have been reading others posts for over a year. I'm sure someone with experience will post soon enough. You sounded a little nervous. Take a deep breath and enjoy the show.

 

[greathorse]

Your hen is setting not laying, not sure why they say that but tis the truth. Additionally she is best equipped to take care of this chick. Nature has given the chick the tools to live very well for 3 days at least with no food or water. It is how nature allows for a few day hatching period so the hen does not need to get off the nest. The chick has absorbed the yolk which is all the food required at this time.

 

[GIL323]

cool.....thanks.....yeah i guess im gonna just leave it alone and ait for the others to be born....i guess mom has to keep them warm but i just got kind of worried beacuse i';ve read posts on here about moms laying on top and killing they're lil baby chicks....they're lil bantams and i hope i get a baby roo from my old roo that got run over....the day after it got run over the chicken started layin]g all the eggs that its on top of right now so i hope he's the father of at least one of these eggs....

 

[GIL323]

thanks

greathorse &

bjmstahl

 

[jaimslee4u]

The chicks eat the yolk before they hatch so they should be ok for atleast 24 hours after hatch - hopefully the other ones will hatch soon. - After that some small bits of hardboiled egg. & eventually some starter food.

 

[geosheets]

Actually, the yolk is absorbed into the abdomen. Most of the time chicks can survive on the yolk sac for 72 hours. I typically try to make sure they have food & water available around 24 hrs old. That way they have a little time to peck around in it and figure out what it's there for. They will start eating or mom will show them when it's time. Make sure the water has some marbles in it or is very shallow so they can't drown.

 

[greathorse]

I am not recommending that anyone wait this long to feed and water chicks but I had some lost for 5 days in shipping once and most of them made it. In shipped chicks it is 3 days from hatch nearly all the time. I dont open my incubator for at least 48 hours after they start to hatch and often wait for 72 before I open so that the late comers wont be compromised.

72 hours is no problem at all