Have you put a baby under the momma 4 days after last chick hatched?

[ChooksChick]

I had one with an umbilical herniation that was only fixed today, and I don't want to keep this poor little thing alone in the brooder. Is there any possibility I can slip her under the broody late tonight and supervise upon 'waking' successfully?

Will there be any possibility of Luna accepting Bubbles?

Can anyone share a story of success this late in the game?

 

[Schultz]

I just did this at 4 am this morning! Momma had already hatched 2 and one had pipped but she pooed on the eggs so I carefully cleaned them and put in the bator, 2 days later I snuck the hatched one in, no problem. Now, not all broodys are the same, so take whatever precaution you can and make sure it is dark! Good luck!

 

[ChooksChick]

That's good- I snuck one in 2 days later already, but she hasn't had one added since Saturday. Her first ones hatched over a week ago. I'm going to try, I guess, unless someone tells me this is foolhardy.

The other concern is that the other 3 chicks are black, and this one is a chipmunk. Will that get her attention?

 

[Schultz]

I don't think so, at least it didn't with my girl! Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[Goose and Fig]

As long as the new chick is up and running around- so it can keep up with the others. She should be ok. I did the "take 1 out and put 2 back" during the day so I could watch- mama hen didn't seem to mind. The chick still ran to me for several days every time I went to give them their greens.

 

[ChooksChick]

OK- I' am heading out with the flashlight! Have the baby monitor on! I'll be listening all night, like when I brought home a newborn and listened for their breathing...I can make it out to the coop in...12 or 13 seconds, I think.

Are we chicken people nuts, or what????

 

[Schultz]

Yep totally addicted! Let us know how it goes.

 

[ChooksChick]

Well, staring me in the face when I opened the door was the one thing I have a phobia of: a roach.

Put me in a pit full of snakes, rats, centipedes, whatever other creepy freaky things you can think of that scare people, I won't flinch. I'll probably find something good or interesting to say about them.

Put me in the presence of a roach and I have to fight the urge to scream and run like a little girl. It's an ingrained reaction to section 8 housing we had to live in when I was a little girl- the things were so big they'd move the furniture around at night just to toy with us. They didn't wait politely until after dark to swarm all over, they just did as they pleased. We were in a duplex with filthy people, and we'd bug bomb until the place was toxic, and they would just go over to the other half of the house until they saw our car, then they knew thye could come back over for a party.

I digress...

I fearlessly trod upon the little booger's back so that I could deliver my sweet chick to her momma- thank God I wore shoes! Momma looked confused as she lifted for the prize. The little chick tried to nuzzle my hand and then found a wing nearby...and dove in! One of the other chicks watched from the other wing and waited patiently to see what was going on at this hour.

I waited for a minute to see if any other reaction would occur. Nope. Boring! Best I could hope for.

I stood 20 feet away, armed with my baby monitor. Boring. Chatter among the older birds, wondering why Big-Pink-Featherless-Treat-Bringing-Hen came in and left in in the middle of sleepytime.

Isn't a lack of drama nice?!?!?

Let's all hope it's as boring when I go in the coop and turn on the light in the morning!

 

[Schultz]

You, momma and babies made it thru the hardest part! They should be just fine. Sorry about the roach, I feel the same way

Let us know what tomorrow brings!

 

[ChooksChick]

Well, poop.

I went out when the normal morning ruckus started this morning so I could be in there when the light came on and Luna first met the new chick.

After an interminable 10 minutes of everyone else leaving, she finally came charging out like her tail was on fire and shot out the pop door without looking back. New baby was asleep in the hay, apparently having gotten out from under her sometime during the night.

She got left behind.

I picked her up, went and grabbed another chick, and brought them both in. Later I went and stole another, leaving her with one.

I'm going to try to give all three to her (total of 4) later, but can't decide if I need to wait until after dark again- the new chick hasn't any outside experience, and I want it to get some before it's too late...