Help - just hatched chick and mama gently pecking????

[PouleChick]

Just went down and chick has been born literally jsut now - is it normal for mama to give gentle pecks to get it back under her or should I be worried????

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Is she talking to it?

 

[PouleChick]

I haven't heard her she looks a bit confused, hot and shocked tbh!! I just went back down and can still hear the chick/s underneath so she obviously isnt' doing anything to them at the moment.

Update as I hadn't submitted, just been down and yes she is talking to it

 

[chuckachucka]

It is absolutely normal for a mother hen to encourage the chicks back under her with gentle pecks in the early days. The chicks needs to learn that the hen is its warm safe place and if she did not encourage them to stay close they could wander off and die of cold. As long as the pecking is gentle and aimed to bring them nearer not push them away, it is fine.

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Sounds like she will be fine...sounds like she has 2 worried mommies

 

[PouleChick]

I'm doing a split hatch with some under Mabel and some in the incubator. We had a crushed egg that hatched while we were eating dinner and Mabels hatched during dinner as well (both Vorwerks) Not sure what to do - both chicks must have hatched within minutes of each other. Should I implant the incubator chick tonight or leave it to tomorrow?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If the chick is mobile, I'd put it under her after dark.
Check with a flashlight very briefly about 20 minutes later to make sure it hasn't wandered away from her.

 

[PouleChick]

If the chick is mobile, I'd put it under her after dark.
Check with a flashlight very briefly about 20 minutes later to make sure it hasn't wandered away from her.

Thanks for replying. My hesitation is that she still has 2 that are unhatched under her (I just went down and checked) and being so young and new mum I'm just worried that she won't cope (although she is being fabulous so far really!). 3 of the eggs in the incubator I think are dead (can't tell though due to shell colour) but there is a little bantam that was still alive so I'm thinking I could leave the chick in there and then move the other one (or against odds more than one) at the same time. Arrgghh what to do, it is just dark now and I need to go to bed so need to decide!

 

[PouleChick]

Oh and it can't wander off as they are in a big round tub.

 

[MillersFarm]

It is absolutely normal for a mother hen to encourage the chicks back under her with gentle pecks in the early days. The chicks needs to learn that the hen is its warm safe place and if she did not encourage them to stay close they could wander off and die of cold. As long as the pecking is gentle and aimed to bring them nearer not push them away, it is fine.

x2