Newly hatched abandoned chicks advice needed.

[Nashelle]

Hi any advice would be welcome. My broody hen hatched 7 chicks and left the rest of the eggs in the best (I learnt too late about perils staggered hatching). I put the abandoned eggs in the greenhouse, came back a few hours later and two chicks were hatching.
The chicks are now under a brooding heat plate in a dog crate. I've put a hot water bottle half under there too but I'm wondering if this okay to do. I feel as if I should put a small teddy bear type thing in there too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How long ago did this happen?
How long has she left the nest when the other 2 hatched?

If they have each other and a brooder plate, they should be fine. You could put something in the brooder for them to snuggle on if you wish, it won't hurt anything.

 

[Nashelle]

She left the nest three days ago and has been following the 7 chicks around and sitting on them even in the middle of food or water I tried to encourage her back on the eggs but she's lost interest so yesterday I took them away and after two hours in the greenhouse I had a surprise. These chicks are from two different breeds.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Cute chicks!

If she left the nest that long ago, then likely you will have to just brood them yourself. Hopefully once they get older you can integrate them with the weaned chicks.

 

[Nashelle]

Thanks for your replies. Chicks seem to be doing well. They're in a dog crate and there's a larger crate outside so they can have time on the grass. But they keep trying to escape!
How long should they sleep at night and should I cover the crate with a blanket? There's conflicting info online. One article said they need 24hours of light.
It's 12am and just before I came to bed one chick woke up, stood at the front of the crate and cheeped loudly and insistently. Think it wanted to come out but I need some sleep

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad they are doing well.

If you are brooding them with a heat plate, they really should get a full nights sleep unless they have a light on and can see to get around in the brooder.
I like using a plate better since they have a more natural sleep/wake cycle, they start to settle down when light gets low (dusk) and the begin stirring/moving awake at first light (dawn).

If you use a heat lamp, then they will have light 24/7 so they would need food/water available at all times and they will party at night and raise a ruckus

Sometime the bars on crate can be too wide and small chicks can slip through. Is there a way to cover the crate with some hardware cloth or other wire that will make it more secure and keep them in?

 

[Nashelle]

Hi Wyorp Rock, we learnt very quickly that the lil blighters can escape so the crate is all secure now

They have a heatplate but the crate is in the living room so there hasn't been a real transition from day to night. At 12am when I went to bed yesterday one chick protested very loudly at being left in the dark even though it had been under the plate when I switched the lights off. Maybe I need to move them to another room where the day to night thing won't be so sudden. I'm learning as I go here

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ah...you turned the light off on them!
Yes, that will cause some peeping.
Moving the brooder to another room that has a window and it "naturally" starts to turn dark in the room will be better. Not to say they STILL won't peep trying to get someone (You) to come in. Chicks also seem to "call" each other and chirp/peep/trill as they settle in for the night too. It's worth a listen, but don't let them know you're there or they'll get amped up wanting to play.

 

[rosemarythyme]

one chick protested very loudly at being left in the dark even though it had been under the plate when I switched the lights off. Maybe I need to move them to another room where the day to night thing won't be so sudden.

Natural light is optimal as it gives chicks plenty of time to get their last bites to eat and then head to bed. If that's not possible, then can gradually dim the light in the room they're already in?

 

[Nashelle]

Chicks are getting cheekier each day. There's a barrier around the dog crate but they keep jumping until the get over it and through a hole. So I raise the barrier and they keep trying. It seems their main objective is to escape Luckily there's a net over the whole thing.