New to chickens and out foxed by a hen. I have a new addition.

[Rascaholic]

I have had my 2 hens (Matilda and Hattie)1 rooster (Cogburn) for about 3 months now, give or take a bit. Mattie has out smarted me and hatched a chick and is sitting 2 more eggs that my knowledgeable neighbor says will hatch out in the next 24 to 48 hours. Mattie roosts up in a corner, high up, of the makeshift coop. She was laying her eggs in the boxes I put on the wall though.

She, Hattie, stopped laying 2 eggs a day about 4 weeks ago, then quit laying at all about 3 weeks ago. The neighbor said, "It's normal this time of year." Matilda stopped laying and looks like a feather duster my cat got ahold of. So, OK molting time?...gotcha.
NO it isn't molting. Mattie hid eggs in her roost spot, I found eggs in her nesting box for a week, one at a time. So I can only surmise that the little demon hen laid some in the roosting corner as well as the box.

NOW I have one baby I took away, at the advice of the neighbor. She said the rooster would kill it. Chick is in the house in a box with a heat light, thermometer, and with food and water. A bottle cap type tiny bowl of water so he can't drown in it. He/she is eating and drinking. No peeping excessively. Seems content and is sleeping right now. Nice fluffy and warm.

DH and DS are out closing off part of the chicken coop for the hen and the other 2 eggs. They are also putting her roosting spot down about 12 to 18 inches off the ground so we can put a ramp for the chicks from the other 2 eggs to climb.
I want to try and place this chick back with Mom and the other eggs. How do I do that best to increase the chance she'll accept it back? Put it under her at night? How will I know she rejects it? If I find it out on it's own? Cause it is chilly here now and I know the chick won't survive in the coop without Mom. I don't want to kill it with ignorance.

Things done for the chick so far:

Cardboard box lined with packing tissue and covered with a piece of Styrofoam to insulate and help hold in heat.
Heat lamp, regular bulb. I think it is a 60 watt. I cut a hole in the Styrofoam cover to put the lamp over it so as not to lose to much heat
Thermometer holding steady around 99 degrees F humidity is at about 16% is that acceptable?
Water, he is drinking. I keep peeking through the crack to watch him/her
Food scattered on the bottom of the box to scratch and eat. Eating already.
I put some dandelion greens, grass, and clover in for it also.

Does it need a nest in there?
Does it need like baby vitamins or something besides the scratch food and greens?
Friend on the other forum suggested grit also?
Suggested a companion or a feather duster to keep the chick company...will a stuffed baby toy work?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the novel, but I don't want the chick to die because I neglected a detail!

 

[sumi]

You sound like a great chick mom!
I think you've done what you could for the little one. Sound like you got a good set-up

The chick won't need greens yet, just regular chick food and plenty fresh water. If mom finished hatching the remaining eggs you can move her to the chick pen and then add your house chick. (If, for some reason, her eggs don't hatch, put the chick under her at night. Then move them in the morning )
What you can do for the chick is hang a small feather duster in your brooder so he/she can crawl under it. Just make sure it's not too close to the lamp!
You don't need vitamins or any supplements, but a little apple cider vinegar is good for chicks (and bigger chickens). Add 2-3 tablespoons to a gallon water.
Grit is good or some coarse sand.

Enjoy your surprise baby!

 

[Rascaholic]

Thanks for the response and encouragement! I am going for a feather duster in just a few minutes as the chick is peeping non stop since he woke up. I'll try replacing him, when she hatches out the other 2 eggs, at night.

I don't like losing animals through ignorance, so I am reading up on raising chickens.

Quick question, if they turn out to be males, can they live together? Or will I need to keep them away from Cogburn?

 

[NovaAman]

The rooster wouldn't have killed it more than likely. I have 3 mother hens, and have not lost a single chick to any of the various roosters. No offence but give the chick back to the mama. OR, bring her in too, give her a broody box, and let her do what mother nature intended, and what she intended. Trust me. I porsted this on the other thread you started. My hens have had eggs that had started one day, and taken up to 3 days for all the eggs to hatch. Move her and the nest to an area of the coop, close it off from the other chickens with poultry net, or wire, chick feed, (MAMA hen needs the added protein right now) and water dish. It'll be better for the chicks to be raised by Mama hen.

 

[NovaAman]

Cogburn will keep them in line when they get to maturity... He won't bother with them until they start messing with his girls, and then it'll be time to find them new homes.

Don't worry. Chicks are easy. I have6 cockerels who are reaching maturity, and it sure is funny to watch them prancing about trying to be top dog, and then they all go in the same coop at night and sit next to each other on the roost and chill. They hang together most the day too. I also have 40 chickens all together, so, there are plenty of girls to go around.

 

[CorinneP]

I think the momma hen would have protected her chicks .. though broody hens do take their toll.. but I would make sure you add a thermometer and try to regulate the chicks heat aprox 95 degrees the first week and then dropping the heat 5 degrees a week. Smart Hen you have tricky gal : )

 

[Rascaholic]

Ok, the chick is back with Mom. I went for a feather duster to put in the box I fixed. While I was gone DH and DS took the chick back out with Mom. Hattie walked around a few minutes then settled in with Chick. They moved her down to the ground in a deep nest of hay. Moved the other 2 eggs down and were supposedly careful not to tilt them. Chick is doing great under Mom again. They have chick food, water and lots of hay for the nest.

I keep checking them from outside. I don't want to mess with her any more than I have to.

my nerves are shot.

Cogburn and Matilda can't get in to the area they are btw. And I picked up chick food while I was hunting a feather duster. ROFL well atleast I have one now that doesn't smell like furniture polish.

That is Chick in my avatar btw isn't he/she cute!! And so tiny. I have never seen chicks this small!

 

[Donna in Montana]

Chicks hatched in the coop with the rest of the chickens will work out fine if the hen is a good mother. She's so protective no chicken messes with her. She'll hang out by herself with her babies. One hen had her own little group (her babies) for over a year. Finally broke it up when she got broody again.

I've seen roosters that are just as attentive as hens to the chicks. They'll find bugs and let the babies have them. Will show the chicks what's good to eat. Very sweet to watch.

For chicks hatched in an incubator the feather duster is terrific! They'll snuggle into the feathers and be content and comfortable. Every year, though, I have to work through getting the youngsters integrated into the group. Things eventually get straightened out but each year seems to be different.

For sure keep the chick with it's mom. Things will work out, I bet, and Mom and Baby will be happier.

Good luck!!!!

(The best momma hen I had was incredible! One year, along with I don't remember how many chicks, I had 4 guineas and 2 ducks that all hatched together. As they went to the floor she took everyone of them!!! I felt sorry for the other mothers. It was funny to see her sitting in the corner of the coop trying to fit all the little ones under her.. especially since the heads and necks of the little ducks would stick up through her wings.)

BTW.. One of my cats is a terrible bird killer but she won't touch any of the chickens. She knows they're mine. And our goose rules the roost. NO one messes with the goose, even the red-boned hound!