As you all know, Tina finally hatched her little family. I have a couple questions, though. The little babies are under her wings staying warm. They will come out for a couple minutes, then she will usher them back under her wing. How long before they come out and become a little more active? Will Tina teach them to eat and drink? What kind of food do I put in there? Momma and babies have different needs, but I put chick feed in there and gave Momma some grapes, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. One egg has pipped but hasn't hatched. There is no peeping. How long before I give up on it? It was peeping earlier and twice I've seen Tina not sitting on it. However, when I give it to her, she puts it under herself. Thanks in advance!!
Isn't it fun? I had always bought day-old chicks until this year, when I had my old hen Dorothy hatch out a foster brood. I'll never go back to buying chicks again - this way is just too adorable!!!!! Anyway, my chicks didn't really come out from under Dorothy until she was done hatching and she got up. I had one egg that hatched a good 30 hours after the others, and Dorothy wasn't going anywhere until that egg hatched. Since you say Tina still has a pipped egg under her, she may be waiting for that to hatch. Can you determine yet if the chick is alive in there? Dorothy is eating the chick starter along with her babies. However, she started to lay again quite sooon after, so I am supplementing just her diet with layer pellets and calcium. Just wait until Tina starts showing them things! So cute! I was late to work every day for weeks because I just couldn't stop watching! Dorothy would bring them to the food, and keep picking up tidbits and putting them down until the chicks came over to see what she was doing. Enjoy!
The forth little cutie hatched last night! They are already trying to walk around the brooder to check out the world, and Tina is clucking and watching their every move! She pushes them all back under her wing and sits. Maybe she will let them wander tonight. Thanks for the advice!