HELP! Broody with newly hatched chick questions!

[junior67]

so tonight I had 1 incubator egg hatch. Kept the one survivor in there to hatch so I could see it, and still missed the actual hatch! but anyways....... My broody also got eggs the same day I set the incubator ones and she has 2 that made it. Well 1 hatched tonight as well and the 2nd egg is peeping away but no external pip seen when I peeked quick. But guessing it will hatch tomorrow. I am planning to give the mama the incubator baby as well.

so questions:

1. baby hatched around 7:30pm in the incubator. I work tomorrow but I am home about an hour in the morning that I can watch them.. Should I give mama the baby in the morning and keep an eye on it (she was fine with me tonight with a flashlight so not super dark peeking under her and seeing her baby then sliding it back under her) or should I leave it in the incubator alone for the day and bring it out tomorrow night? It is chilly here tonight so I didn't want to bring it out still damp as I was afraid it would get chilled.

2. Should I set up some chick food and water in the coop for mama and babies for the first few days? I have a ramp (very wide... around 18-24" wide, with rungs going down and not steep) going down to the run. or should I just set up chick food and a lower waterer down there for them? Will mama keep them in the coop at first? She went off the nest around 2 today, and back on the wrong one so I went out around 4 to put her on the right one and that was wen I saw an egg pipped. Will she stay on the nest for a couple days now or still get off like she has been doing?

3. anything else I need to do besides watch her with the chicks and be sure she is protecting them?

 

[SilverBirds]

I'd put the chick in with momma when you can monitor them together. That way if there are an problems you can step in.

Once her chicks hatch, she won't really have a nest site anymore. She'll just plop herself down whenever and wherever. Having a box or nest for her to go in at night is still recommended. The chicks may have a hard time getting up and down the ramp for the first few weeks so I'd opt for everything to be ground level.

She may keep them in the coop or she may parade them around for everyone to see. How many other chickens do they share a coop with?

 

[junior67]

I'd put the chick in with momma when you can monitor them together. That way if there are an problems you can step in.

Once her chicks hatch, she won't really have a nest site anymore. She'll just plop herself down whenever and wherever. Having a box or nest for her to go in at night is still recommended. The chicks may have a hard time getting up and down the ramp for the first few weeks so I'd opt for everything to be ground level.

She may keep them in the coop or she may parade them around for everyone to see. How many other chickens do they share a coop with?

Thanks. so I will put some food and water in the coop just in case. She will have a nest box she can still go into at night. I have 3 and she has occupied 1 of them for about 4 weeks now (had to wait to get shipped eggs in since I was trying to hatch her eggs and she went broody when I only had 3. LOL)


how long should I need to be able to monitor them together? as I said I have an hour tomorrow morning but then I have to leave for work. Or i can do it later when I may have more time (but do have to make dinner etc) or can do it when dark, but then won't be up at dawn to see how it is going, I get up about 45 min after dawn.

I have 1 roo and 6 other hens. They are mostly in the run though unless laying or doing a quick peek in. I also have a coop brooder blocked off with almost 4 week old chicks, but they haven't been let out of the brooder yet.

 

[SilverBirds]

I'd watch them for an hour or so. Just to make sure she accepted the chick. I'd slid the chick under her and wait for him to poke his head out and see what she does.

Good luck!

 

[junior67]

I am hoping since her eggs under her are hatching now that she won't even notice another one tucked under her. she has 4 eggs under her but only 2 are good an the other 2 aren't fertilized. so going to remove them when I put baby under there. But figured since she has some hatching under her around the time I place the incubator baby that she will just think another one hatched and it will be easier than trying to place them with a broody that no eggs hatch under her. But I am new (again since I raised them as a child) do this so may be WAY off on that.

 

[onwingandhoof]

I am hoping since her eggs under her are hatching now that she won't even notice another one tucked under her. she has 4 eggs under her but only 2 are good an the other 2 aren't fertilized. so going to remove them when I put baby under there. But figured since she has some hatching under her around the time I place the incubator baby that she will just think another one hatched and it will be easier than trying to place them with a broody that no eggs hatch under her. But I am new (again since I raised them as a child) do this so may be WAY off on that.

I'd make sure to put the newly hatched baby under her at night. This way shell be more likely to accept it as hers.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

I’d toss chick under her now and have a look first thing in the morning. She won’t mind having 3 vs 2 and she will have all night getting used to the sounds of three too.

 

[junior67]

I’d toss chick under her now and have a look first thing in the morning. She won’t mind having 3 vs 2 and she will have all night getting used to the sounds of three too.

it is midnight and I need to get to bed or I would now. Chick was still wet and it is chilly out so I was afraid it would get cold on trip to the coop which Is why I didn't do it earlier. I figured I couldn't keep it warm enough bringing it out there. Plus holding a chick, a flashlight and opening the run and coop locks and doors I figured would be too hard (I am under 5' tall and have TINY hands. LOL)

 

[SilverBirds]

it is midnight and I need to get to bed or I would now. Chick was still wet and it is chilly out so I was afraid it would get cold on trip to the coop which Is why I didn't do it earlier. I figured I couldn't keep it warm enough bringing it out there. Plus holding a chick, a flashlight and opening the run and coop locks and doors I figured would be too hard (I am under 5' tall and have TINY hands. LOL)

That's fine, just put him out tomorrow and update us on how it goes.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

First thing in the morning might work too if you can beat the sunrise a bit.

One of my Broody girls would set on a tennis shoe and adopt a Great Dane on day 3.

Other wouldn’t take chicks until 7-10 days setting. (It’s how I figured out my other broody had chick fever…. 8 week old chicks she just weaned a few days earlier. Set the replacements under her mid morning, and she weaned those chicks 8 weeks later too)

Ultimately each brain dead broody is different. Let us know how it works out!