Need your advice *please help* Hatching the old fashioned way

[havi]

Sorry this is so long, I didnt know how else to explain my problem.


This is my first time at trying to hatch out chicks. I have a BO that its her first time sitting on eggs. These are Araucana eggs so I know they are hard to hatch anyways. Out of all the eggs that were under her only five are left. Wed afternoon I went and looked and I saw two that were peeping. Nothing on the other three. Well yesterday I came home and one was outside of the nest box and was dead. I picked her up and on one side of her face was bloody and well I dont know how else to explain it, but the skin/fur was pushed back. I looked under the hen and the other was hatching out of her shell. Well late last night she was out of her shell and under momma doing fine. Around noon today I go out there to check on the other three and the little one is out of the nest and by the waterer. When I picked her up one side of her face had just a little bit of blood on her and her eye was closed. I put her back under momma and left.


Well right now I have her in there in the bathroom in a brooder. I didnt know what else to do. I didnt want to leave her there and take the chance of her ending up dead later on tonight. Shes in the bathroom just crying away. What can I do? I know chickens are companion animals. Plus there is still nothing on the other three eggs. They all seem to be fine and developed, just no peeping. Today is 22 days since they have been under the hen. What to do abot that? After a few more days should I get rid of them or what?


Edited for: Spell check lol

 

[Year of the Rooster]

It sounds like maybe another chicken killed your first chick. And since mom was still sitting, I don't think she did anything to protect it yet. For now, put a small stuffed animal or something in with the lonely chick. I don't know much about hatching but i would wait several more days before you throw away the eggs.

 

[havi]

I figured I would give it another week or so I just didnt know what else to do. If and when the other chicks hatch will momma take her back or reject her? What should I do if its just this one chick? Give her back once the other eggs are gone or just raise it by myself? Is there anything else I can do to help the lonely chick out?

 

[Mahonri]

At this point in time, it looks like you may be raising this one yourself.

Sounds like you've done everything right. I'd give the other three eggs till day 26 and then I'd get rid of them.

Good luck.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

So the 2nd chick to hatch was looking/doing fine at first, then you found it slightly injured, and gave it back to the Mama hen? When did you decide to take it away from the Mama, what made you decide to do that? Was she acting aggressive towards the chick?

Have you candled the remaining eggs? If they look empty you can toss them right away, if they look full perhaps you should give them another day or two.

It is possible that the Mama hen pecked those chicks. Although BOs have broody tendancies, some individuals are better mothers than others. Who knows what might be going through a chicken's tiny bird brain to provoke some of their weird behaviors?

You could try to give the chick back to its Mama, but watch her closely to see if she accepts it or not. Otherwise, try to find another chick to raise along with it, they prefer to have company.

Sometimes it helps to suspend a feather duster over the brooder so the chick can nestle under the feathers, this might help soothe away your chick's loneliness.

Please keep us posted as to how things are resolved.

 

[jvls1942]

I am guessing that the chick worked its way out of the nest or was pulled out by another chicken..
I cannot picture a BO cluck doing any harm to her own babies.. I am really finding it hard to figure out how a chick got away from it's mother.. usually the first couple of chicks are tucked up so tightly under the cluck's wing that if you pick her up the chick won't even fall out..

I have BO's and they usualy are great mothers.. I have given mine week old chicks to take care of and they usually accept them.
.
my two roosters are just indifferent to chicks..

You probably won't be able to quiet that lone chick.. put it somewhere that you cannot hear it.
seriously..

..jiminwisc........