My hen went broody a few weeks ago, and about 30 minutes ago the first chick hatched. I think I asked just about every question except what to do when the chicks are born, so thats what I am asking. The mamma hen started pecking the little chick very aggresively and it looked like she was going to kill it, so I took the chick out of the laying box. Is it ok to have the chicks away from their mom when they are this young? Also, when do I need to start feeding them? I know they can go the first couple of days without eating, but when do I need to start giving them food? Thanks for the help.
A few more questions. The only chick feed I have right now is grower/finisher, and it says it is good for 10-18 week old chicks, but will it be ok for my baby chicks? Also, I haven't found my heat lamp yet, will the chick be ok for another hour or two until I can find the lamp?
You need to get that baby warm quick! Put it in the sun if it's warm outside. I'll be fine without mom, but better with her if she'll accept it. Put the chick back later and see what she does. Tuck it in under her and watch her reaction. Chicks don't need food for the first 2-3 days, but you can give it water in a bowl tomorrow, if it doesn't drink by itself by late afternoon, dip it's beak in it to show it what to do. You got plenty time to get it some chick starter food. So don't worry about that now. Go find your heat lamp! Oh, congrats on your first chick!
I think there might actually be two broody hens, because the past few days they have been sharing the nest laying on the eggs. There is a blue cochin and barred rock sitting on them, and the first two weeks it was just the blue cochin, and that was the one attacking the chick. The little chick is wrapped up in a towel and sitting in the 95 degree sun, so I think she will be fine for a little bit.
Yeah the little chick will be fine, as long as she stays warm. Hopefully you'll have more chicks hatch soon so they can huddle together until you find that heat lamp! I have learned to take the chicks away pretty early, as soon as they are dry. Sometimes a broody hen will just be a good sitter, but not such a good mom. I've found that out the hard way, and the other hens can be so mean! I don't even risk it anymore, and have the brooder ready as soon as I see my first pip. I usually have 2 or 3 hens all suddenly start to be in the broody box a day or two before hatch. Not sure why, but suddenly they're all clamoring to be there. I pick the sweetest hen out of the group, and kick the rest out. If you start taking the chicks out one at a time, or slowly, while there's still eggs under there, usually the broody doesn't put up too much of a fight since she's still focused on those other eggs! Good luck and I hope you have a successful hatch!
I had 3 broodies share a nest. The eggs started disappearing at hatching time... Then early in the morning I found one chick. Tried to get the hens to take him, but all 3 in turn pecked the poor thing! I ended up raising it.
Ok, so 4 chicks have succesfully hatched. They were sitting on 15 eggs total, so 11 are left. Some are younger eggs than others because it took me about three days to realize she was brooding and that I needed to mark them, so I think it might be a slow hatch over the next few days. So far all of the chicks look like hens, but I have a question. Do chicken breeds cross? My rooster is a barred rock, and 2 BR hens and a blue cochin hen, so if the rooster and BC hen breed, what is the result? I am asking this because we have a chick that looks like a BR, but has feathers on its feet like a BC.
Another thing, I did get the heat lamp about 30 minutes after my post about trying to find it so the chicks are nice and warm.
Chicken breeds do cross. My chickens are mostly x breeds. I never know what to expect when I get chicks and we have fun bring to figure out which one's from which roo.
I was discussing the mystery of why two birds of the same breed can look so different from each other with someone who works at the feed store and was told that many (most?) of the chicks you find at feed stores come from commercial hatcheries and are cross breeds (or at least not true pure breeds). I was thinking that one of our Buffs Orps was a roo. At first because she/he is so much smaller that the others.....and now the tiny thing chases all the other chicks around the pen squawking and flapping and being generally obnoxious...but at 9 weeks her/his comb is still pale yellow and no spurs... so she/he might just be a mean chick...