first time hatcher, need some advice!

[NatJ]

in the afternoon took the chicks to the waterer and never returned to the eggs. she even make them eat... isn't this too soon?

I am not quite sure what you are asking.

Is it too soon for her to leave the other eggs? Not really, because some hens will keep sitting for longer than others, after the first chicks hatch.

Is it too soon for the chicks to eat? Not a problem. Newly hatched chicks can go several days before they start to eat, but eating sooner will not hurt them.

her comb and wattles are very pale now.

A hen gets really red comb and wattles when she lays eggs.

Any time a hen quits laying eggs, her comb and wattles get pale. This happens to broody hens and to molting hens.

So I think her comb and wattles would be pale right now, with or without mites.

should I give her something to help her recovering?

Chick starter is good for the chicks, good for the hen, and easy for the person

I'm happy with these two chicks, they are beautiful. should I check something to see if they are healthy? I always read about checking for pasty butt, there's something more I should watch for?

Watch them for a little while each day--make sure they are both there, and that they eat and drink and move around acting healthy. They will probably be fine.

I have seen chicks that got into a corner behind something and needed help to get back out, and I have seen a chick that got stuck in the mother's feathers (two feathers were glued together with a piece of poop, around the chick's neck like a collar.) In cases like those, once you see the problem, it is easy to see how to fix it.

 

[maceleneo]

thank you, it seems that I can catch my breath... this mites thing gave the happy event a little more suspense that what I was prepared for!

 

[Ridgerunner]

in the afternoon took the chicks to the waterer and never returned to the eggs. she even make them eat... isn't this too soon?

At some point the hen switches from incubation mode to raising chicks mode. I've had some of them do that within 24 hours of the first one hatching, I've had some wait more than 72 hours. Each time brooding is different, even with the same hen. Once she's off the nest she probably won't hatch any more eggs. But if she goes back to that nest tonight you may get lucky. I've never had that happen though.

her comb and wattles are very pale now. should I give her something to help her recovering?

No need. When a hen is laying eggs her comb and wattles turn bright red. That bright red is a signal to a rooster that she is laying eggs so her eggs need to be fertilized. A broody hen is not laying eggs so her comb and wattles do not need to be bright red, they turn pale. You should see the same thing when they molt and top laying eggs. They should be pale.

 

[BDutch]

Red mites + red mite eggs can hide in bedding and any cracks. They don’t need wood to hide in. So you better discard the bedding after a week (in a plastic bag in the litter bin) to prevent further problems.
You can check if there are still any active mites by making small rolls of biscuits paper, put this in a dark spot around where the hen sleeps and check after 24 hours / every week.

How are the hen and chicks doing now?

 

[maceleneo]

she didn't come back to the eggs, so I took them away.
maybe she would have kept brooding (ehm, not sure about the tense!) if I didn't move her from the nursery to the bathtube and then to the run... I guess I'll never know! at least I learned something.
tonight I checked again all the chickens for mites and I couldn't find any, but I will definitely use that roll of cookies paper trick!
so pale comb is normal whe hens aren't laying but what about the bald face? she wasn't always like that.
today she took the chicks outside in the run and they were already scratching with their tiny feathered feet! watching pingu teaching them stuff is the sweetest thing. they are already eating, but I couldn't see any poop. I checked their butts and they seem ok. they are 2 days old now, since they are eating, shouldn't they poop?
I'm trying not to worry about everything but it's hard!
anyway, I'm happy about their setup now: other chickens can watch them and they can start getting used. the wannabe broody spends a lot of time near the run making the broody call, though.

 

[NatJ]

maybe she would have kept brooding (ehm, not sure about the tense!) if I didn't move her from the nursery to the bathtube and then to the run... I guess I'll never know! at least I learned something.

Yes, that is the correct tense. "Maybe she would have kept brooding if...."

For your other questions: I think all those things are fine, and you do not need to worry about them.

 

[BDutch]

Yes, the chickens, chicks and you are doing fine now. Don’t worry. Enjoy! But keep checking the mites!

 

[maceleneo]

hi, my little two are doing fine and they seem to be healthy.
now I'm wondering how long should I wait to reintegrate mother hen and her chicks with the flock. they are confined in the run for the moment and they can see but don't touch each other. some hens seem more curious, others (rooster included) don't seem to care.
when and how should I put them all together again?

other question: the other hen who was considering going broody hasn't decided yet. she isn't laying, but she doesn't sit much in the nest anymore. I was considering give her some eggs (in the event that she decides to commit), since in this batch just two hatched, but I read that older chicks can be more dangerous than adult hens to the little ones... would be 4 weeks a dangerous age gap?

 

[aart]

when and how should I put them all together again?

I usually let the mama and chick back in with the flock about a week after hatch.
Was the broody, and then chicks, in sight of the flock the whole time when was setting?

but I read that older chicks can be more dangerous than adult hens to the little ones... would be 4 weeks a dangerous age gap?

The second broody will protect her chicks from all, until she weans them, that's when things could get dicey. I've had 2 age groups of chicks, one broody one incubated, it was rather a PITA.

 

[maceleneo]

Was the broody, and then chicks, in sight of the flock the whole time when was setting?

nope, they couldn't. I moved them in sight of the flock when the chicks hatched (5 days ago).
when I confined the broody she was having some trouble, mainly with the rooster, and I guess now things will get even more complicated. I'm going to wait a couple of days then. should I intervene in their fights or should I let them work it out?

The second broody will protect her chicks from all, until she weans them, that's when things could get dicey. I've had 2 age groups of chicks, one broody one incubated, it was rather a PITA.

that's what I was afraid of. I could break her broodiness if she gets serious... I just hope it won't be necessary.