New chick

[ilovedragons2]

I have a broody hen that I have allowed to sit on 4 eggs. I just found out that one of them is about to hatch. I can hear scratching/peeping in the shell. I am wondering if I need to do anything special or if mom will make sure it gets feed. I really didn't expect this to happen because the last time I had a broody hen nothing happened to the eggs.

 

[azygous]

Provide chick feed or an all flock feed for the hen, along with water in a chick waterer or a shallow dish with marbles or rocks so a tiny chick getting into it won't drown. The chick won't be hungry right away, but will mostly sleep after its exhausting exit from the egg.

When the hen feels the chick is ready, she will teach the chick to eat and drink, but you will need to make it possible for a tiny chick that isn't capable of jumping in and out of a nest to get out of it and back in when it needs to. Many of us rig up a broody nest on the floor. A chick won't be able to jump for over a week until it starts getting some feathers on its wing stubs.

 

[ilovedragons2]

Second chick hatched overnight. Completely different from the first! I have many different breeds of hens and two completely different roosters. Thanks for the info!!