H.E.L.P...theres a baby under hen!

[chickorama]

PICTURES! PICTURES! PICTURES!

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Did any more hatch? Did you go buy those BJGs? What is happening I'm excited to know! (Boy I'm such a dork

)

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
She's too young. Most hens get broody (set on the nest) in the springtime. They are smart that way. She won't go broody till she feels like it, so there's no use in trying to make her go broody. Once she goes broody though, she won't let you change her mind! Don't worry -- just make eggs for breakfast every day, and in the springtime you can mark 8-10 eggs with a black x and leave those in the nest. she'll let you know when she goes broody because she'll refuse to leave the nest and that's when you can sneak the "x" eggs out and replace them with fresh fertile eggs for her to hatch.
BTW not all hens go broody. Bantams usually do though.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Congrats on your new chickie!

My little mama hen is about 6-7 months. It's an individual thing. And she is a wonderful little mama. I have older hens who haven't gone broody.

Funny thing happened when I gave her a raisin. She offered it to her chicks. One took it. Gypsy decided she wanted it back. So she played "raisin ball" with her baby who didn't want to give it back. Gypsy did finally end up eating the raisin, but the baby got it back a couple of times.

 

[coolchickens]

Yehhh...another baby today. It's "blue" colored. I'm thinking I might have gotten one from mama, the blu cochin after all. There might even be one more under her as it sounds like it but I can't see it as she is so fluffy. I still see a couple of unhatched eggs and she still hasn't gotten off the nest! The 1st baby was born yesterday, I'm thinking it's pretty hungry by now, but it's cool out today and mama wants the rest of the eggs to hatch, I guess. I DID get those 2 little Jersy Giant babies this afternoon. Their in the laundry room with a heat lamp waiting for tonight to "meet mom"! Boy, I hope that works or I'll be lost. When will mama get off that nest? The two JG's are already eating, they are 2 days old today. They will want to eat, not sit under mom.

 

[coolchickens]

Okay, I went out today, day 3 of hatching, to check mama & babies. The 2 BJG's I added last night are doing great, and she has accepted them fine. They appear strong & healthy, came out from under mama and ate and drank, so feel good about that. When I first ck'd on mama, she hadn't gotten out of nest x 3 days, noticed one chick of her's was lying unresponsive. I got frustrated and picked mama up and put her outside of nest to ck rest. 2 eggs left, one no good, other had little peck hole but baby was dead. She now has 2 of her 4 eggs hatched & alive. They haven't eaten or drank yet, so will watch them today closely. Are you sure mama knows what to do? All she wants to do is sit on them! I'm thinking the one that died (1st born, was very active) may have starved or something.

 

[chickenannie]

Trust her instincts. And remember, she has to decide at some point whether to wait for the rest to hatch, or take the newly hatched little ones out to eat and drink. Once hatched, they can do fine sitting under momma for 2-3 days, but then they need to go in search of food. That's why its a huge help if you put food and water right next to her nest and keep her separated from any other chickens. Most hens don't have a 100% hatch -- it seems that your results are typical. Sometimes a chick dies in the shell for whatever reason. Trust her, she knows what to do.

 

[coolchickens]

Okay, I'm probably driving everyone nuts but this baby hatching is SO exciting. My first, can you tell?! Her first also. Since I put the hen outside the nest box with chicks, with water and food next to her, she now has eaten herself, drank (a lot!) and called her babies out to eat with her. It is SO interesting, I have been sitting in a chair in the hen ALL DAY, just watching the interaction. She doesn't mind, and I took lots of pic's but will have to get them developed (not digital). The little blu colored one has "feathers on its legs"!!! yahhh.... I got a blu Cochin from her. The difference in 1 day is amazing comparing the 2 day old BJG's I added last night & her two 1 day old chicks. Can't wait until tomorrow to watch! ha Sharon

 

[sweetshoplady]

I'm not an expert and people will probably tell me that this was wrong to do, but I had kind of a staggered hatch. Gypsy wanted to get off and take care of her little pair that had hatched so I put the food practically in the nest so that she and the wee ones could eat. Only 4 of the 10 eggs hatched and I think it was because she'd get off long enough for them to actually get cold. There was one egg that the little one pipped and was calling and Gypsy was over with the other 3 on the other side of the brooder.

I just ordered a little incubator that I can put a couple eggs in in case this ever happens again. I had candled these and there were little chicks in there. My Gram said that if the eggs get cold it will kill the chicks.

It is fascinating to watch mama and babies. I just had my first hen hatch eggs too.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Sounds like you found the best show of all -- chicken TV!!