New Chick out of nest overnight, advice please!

[NorthernMIFlock]

My broody hen hatched some chicks yesterday, and I went out to the coop early this a.m. and one had gotten out of the nest box and got lost. I found it laying kind of behind the box, barely alive . I immediately tucked it under her wing and did hear it chirp a bit. Any hope for this little one? If not, should I try to remove it from the nest? I don’t want it to cause issues for the other chicks or momma if it’s possibly dead.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

If mama stays put, placing the chick back under her may work fine. When this has happened to me, I have brought the chick inside and warmed it on a heating plate until it was conscious and chirping, then placed it back underneath. I've saved several this way. If found alive, there's a good chance of bringing them back. To prevent it happening in the first place, I block off nest boxes when hatching is going on or when I've introduced new chicks to a broody, precisely to keep the chicks from wandering. A hatching mother may not be able to redirect the chick back to her in the dark at night and she won't leave the rest of the eggs/chicks. A foster broody may be fine with the chicks underneath her, but may peck at those who get out and try to get back in, seeing them as intruders still.

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

If mama stays put, placing the chick back under her may work fine. When this has happened to me, I have brought the chick inside and warmed it on a heating plate until it was conscious and chirping, then placed it back underneath. I've saved several this way. If found alive, there's a good chance of bringing them back. To prevent it happening in the first place, I block off nest boxes when hatching is going on or when I've introduced new chicks to a broody, precisely to keep the chicks from wandering. A hatching mother may not be able to redirect the chick back to her in the dark at night and she won't leave the rest of the eggs/chicks. A foster broody may be fine with the chicks underneath her, but may peck at those who get out and try to get back in, seeing them as intruders still.

Thank you so much, that gives me hope! They’re in a small enclosed “nursery” area in the coop, but it wandered behind the nest box this time. So sad, hoping for the best tho.

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

Well, the little fighter made it! He is def the runt (the little black one) but he was eating and drinking with the others and keeping up pretty well. We are naming him Ali. Man they sure are tough!

 

[Sally PB]

Yay for little Ali!

 

[Happy hen lover]

Your instinct was right.