New here, with Baby chick questions and pictures!

[Loranbama]

Hello and thank you for this site. We have chickens for pets and for eggs.


I have a hen that is setting on about 18 eggs. Seems as though all the hens decided to lay in the same nest and she is setting on them now. Two have hatched out one about three days ago and one yesterday.

The hen got off the eggs with the first baby then went to roost that night and left baby on the ground. We took baby inside and she is doing really well. Momma went back to her nest and hatched out another. Left nest again with this one. She is small and seems weak. While scrathing around momma would accidentally throw her around. So we brought her in with the first chick.

She doesnt eat like the first chick. I have given her sugar water in a tiny syringe and hand fed her a couple of flies. I know she needs chick starter, could I make a mash with it and syringe feed her that as well? They are under a small light, what else can I do for them?

Will the other eggs hatchout even though momma hen left them for a couple days?

Thanks in advance for any help and or advice. I know I will have lots of questions in the future.

 

[mandolinmama]

I don't know the answers to your questions, but I do want to welcome you to BYC!!!!!

You'll find alot of really great people on here who have so much awsome knowledge about raising chickens and other stuff too.
I'm pretty new to owning chickens myself and i've found these people to be amazing.
Good luck with your new chicks. I have my fingers crossed for the other eggs, but honestly don't know about her not sitting on them for that long.
I really hope your little one pulls through. I don't see why you couldn't try giving it some thinned starter like that. I'd just be careful not to give it too much. I can't even imagine how tiny their bellys are.

Best of luck and WELCOME!!!!

 

[allen wranch]

The eggs have probably gotten too cold to hatch, but I have known some to do so after being left for a while.

Did the hen go back on the nest ? If not, can you bring her and the eggs inside for her to hatch ? That way you will be sure she is going to stay on the nest. A dog crate works great for a broody hen.

Mix the chick starter in with some yogurt and see if it will drink/eat it. The chick may have gotten chilled, and just needs some time to recover.

 

[jimnjay]

Welcome it sounds like another Bama girl has joined us. I had a similar experience this past weekend with my broody. She hatched out two and then either pushed them out or failed to leave the nest to care for them. One died before I was aware of its existence in the morning. The second one was nearly dead and It recovered by the days end with extra heat and vitamines and electrolytes. At the end she completely abandoned two eggs that were peeping and raising all kinds of heck to get out. I brought them in and helped them hatch as I was worried that the cold would affect their ability to complete the hatching process.

Carla is so right, try to isolate her. First she had to many eggs to hatch sucessfully and two many starting dates. You might check each egg carefully for pips and then try to warm them up either by confining the hen with the eggs or a make shift incubatro. I used a brooder set up with the eggs on a warm damp towel. It would not hurt to try.
Good Luck with them I hope the little weak one recovers.

 

[Loranbama]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!

Yes, Momma went back on the nest. She is a game hen and will peck you good if you try and mess with her eggs or her babies.

I have some chick starter and I am syringe feeding the little weak one with that. She sleeps alot and drops her head.

The older chick is a hoot. My daughter carries her around and lets her clean up the flies I swat. We dont let her carry her much. She named her Princess and already has her following her around the house.

How long will Momma try to hatch the eggs? By the way she was given to us with the house we bought. I already had three chicken that I raised from babies and they are our pets but this hen was not hand raised and is not easily handled.

I cant wait to post pictures of Easter and his girls!

 

[allen wranch]

Great ! Keep up the good work.

Sometimes hens know there are no more viable chicks in the eggs and that is why they leave the nest. If you can confine mama, she will either be very restless and not stay on the nest or settle in and do her job and not abandon the eggs again. It is up to her.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

BTW - I named a hen Princess after my new granddaughter. I don't think the parents are too pleased with having a chicken named after their daughter, but I think it is an honor.

 

[Loranbama]

Thankyou Carla! I sure appreciate that!

I am almost afraid to say it but the little chick is hanging in there, She likes the chick starter with a little water and electrolytes. We are still syringe feeding her but she has pecked at the feed on the floor. So we are hopefull.

Here is a pic of our Rooster that we raised from a half dead, day old chick. He was our first chicken. Some neighbors brought him to me. These are my daughters holding him.

I also have a confession to make. I was spurred by a hen when I was little and ended up with a broken arm (slammed in door of coop on the way out) and several stiches in my head and face. Since then all my life I was scared to death of chickens. My grandparents had a layer house and I was terrified to go in there.
When those little girls brought me that little chick, I raised him up and havent been afraid of chickens since. Sounds silly doesnt it!

Here is Easter and his sister (they ended up bringing her to keep Easter company). We raised them inside. Notice my husband, we call him the "Chick magnet"

We carry our chickens around like they are stuffed. I have even used my rosster in a petting Zoo. He is the sweetest thing.

 

[happytobehome]

I, too, am new here and just wanted to tell you that I've learned so much just reading all the great things you all are sharing. Thank you for such a great forum.

We have chickens for eggs and entertainment and had one hen start to set 4 weeks ago. She was on seven eggs, and five hatched on Tuesday! We are so excited about the babies! Have given them starter mash and apple pieces and they are doing very well.

I'd love to show you a picture of them, but admit I don't know how to attach one.

Thanks again for your friendly forum!

 

[allen wranch]

Loranbama,
I am so glad you didn't turn you back on the rooster.

Happytobehome,
Happy to have your here. There are instructions on how to post pictues on the main page. If you have any problems, just ask.