First time hatch

[alpacasandchicks78]

First hatch, first post.

We have a broody hen/first time mama. We found her off the eggs temporarily and there was a chick running around behind it and she wanted nothing to do with it at all at one point trying to fling it away. It's pretty robust. It's already drinking and eating with other chicks that are from another hens large brood from a friend that are about a week old. We're estimating ours to be at most 2 because it is eating/drinking/eliminating normally... mama is still broody and it's hard to think it was there more than 48 hours because wouldn't we have heard it?? This is the chick. We're completely baffled.

 

[GoatGirl123]

Hmm..Keep trying to put the baby back with the mama. You can slip the chick under mama when it is dark out. If she continues to reject the chick could you possibly put it with the other brood of chicks?

 

[alpacasandchicks78]

Hmm..Keep trying to put the baby back with the mama. You can slip the chick under mama when it is dark out. If she continues to reject the chick could you possibly put it with the other brood of chicks?

We've put it in with the other brood and it is very happy to have company. We're keeping an eye out for more in case she tries to harm them too, but we definitely don't want to aggravate her if she's got chicks underneath her in case she decides not to reject them. We had a hen die approximately the same time she went broody, it's a slim chance that it might be from the hen that passed... but I wouldn't think she'd know the difference if she sat on it till hatching. I'm happy to have answers. It's more trying to understand why because the one we rescued is pretty robust.

 

[alpacasandchicks78]

Hmm..Keep trying to put the baby back with the mama. You can slip the chick under mama when it is dark out. If she continues to reject the chick could you possibly put it with the other brood of chicks?

Two more chicks, not rejected. Still not quite sure about why she did with the one but it's thriving. They look so cute popping in and out from underneath the hens feathers.