Help! I have no clue what to do!

CricketYang

Songster
9 Years
Jul 16, 2010
301
3
109
Mason, MI
I've never hatched my own eggs before and I'm also fairly new to the chicken world..

The fair just left our town and there was a chick hatching exhibit. They had all sorts of little fuzzballs. I asked the man what he was going to do with all of the hatchlings and he said that he was going to just give them away and if I wanted any to come back tomorrow night. Well I came back when he told me to and he was GONE! No chicks in the little pen at all and everything was shut off. The only thing left was his incubator (that was turned off), two little guys that just hatched and hadn't dried out yet and one egg that was still pipping. We took them. (ahhhhhhh!!!)

So now I'm left with two cheep-cheepers sitting next to me in a box with a 100 watt bulb and an egg thats wrapped in a warm towel underneath the lamp, it's still moving and making noises, so things seem OK. I have the box set up in my four seasons room that is pretty warm and humid. I wasn't prepared for this! I didn't have an incubator ready! I thought these guys were going to be a few days old and eating already. But I felt like I should take them bc he turned off the machine and I couldn't leave them there to die!!! I'm about 90% sure he wasn't going to come back for awhile bc the fairgrounds were deserted. I left a note with my number on it just in case bc there were other eggs.

So now my questions are:

What the heck do I do with the two chicks?!
What can I do about this egg?
They labeled the one egg "BcB" it's supposed to stand for what breed they are, I can't for the life of me think of what it is. Some kind of bantam. Any guesses?

My feed store is closed so I can't just go out and buy an incubator and I don't know anyone who has one. The lamp seems to be keeping them pretty warm bc they aren't as loud anymore (they're still breathing), so I'm guessing it's a good sign?? I would just cry if they didn't make it. In my mind, I saved them!

Any advice would be welcomed!! I always buy my birds so I've no clue what to do here.

Thank you
 
Well, the FIRST thing to help reassure you is that chicks do NOT need to eat for the first 3 days after they hatch. They're living off the egg yolk that's been absorbed into their bodies. That's how they can be shipped as 'day old chicks.' You have time to get chick starter feed. And you can give them water, in the interim.

Newly hatched chicks need to be kept about 90 - 95 degrees for the first week of their lives. You probably know that...

The egg, that's a much more tough situation. It needs to be kept at a steady temperature between 97 and 100 degrees.

I'm going to let more seasoned members reply, but I did want to reassure you as soon as possible after your post!
 
I have them in a Dell computer box!! Lol

I have some medicated chick starter but since they don't need to eat just yet I'll take them out. I did dip each of their beaks into the water though. I'm on chat right now and people seem to be very helpful. I just have no clue what I'm doing, I wasn't expecting babies that JUST came out of their shells! I want the best for these little guys, or at least as good as I can give them considering it's 10pm and the store is closed.
 
Sounds like you are doing well for them.. Box, no drafts, light for the 95 degrees, water
And no predators. They don't need too big of a space at this time.
If you feel they absolutely need something to eat you can scramble aan egg for them
But I'm sure they can wait till you go to the feed store tomorrow..
Have fun
 
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Babies!! They seem to be comfy and the little egg is doing well, lots of movement. The temp is about 90 degrees and it's quite humid. I'm hoping for the best!
 
How humid is quite humid? That egg will need at least 60% humidity to hatch properly.

Looks like you're doing good though
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One recommendation - use paper towels instead of newspaper. Newspaper is slick and can cause spraddle leg. They can get a better grip on papertowels.
 
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The little red one seems to have a deformed leg
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and the egg didn't make it!! I'm sad about those but this little one right here is just lovely and already has a huge personality! I checked her vent and she is a girl and a black cochin bantam. Not sure if I'm going to keep her though, I've already enough cochins.
 

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