Newly hatched chick, unable to keep up with the older chicks, emergency brooder set-up!

[Scots in France]

We have been letting our hens sit on their eggs and hatch chicks on their own...
Mumma hens x 2 have been sitting on the eggs of several hens, laid over a couple of weeks...
First hen hatched 9 chicks over 3 or 4 days. 2nd hen has hatched 7 chicks over 5 days, but today there were still 3 eggs left unhatched and she's off the nest with her chicks.
One of the eggs was chirping and pipping, so I brought it into the house, it hatched, I warmed it up and made sure it had some drops of water, before taking it back to it's mom. Went back to check an hour later and it was in the chicken park, chilled and damp and unable to keep up with the older chicks!
Back in the house, warmed up again and made up an emergency brooder - plastic crate with paper in the bottom, made a wooly cave out of some chicken wire with the ends taped for safety & a fluffy tea cosy for the roof, couple of lids for food & water containers, sitting on a silver heat reflecting mat.
We're in the South of France and overnight outdoor temperatures are down to 17°C, inside expecting low 20's°C.
I am intending on putting a hot water bottle in the box later or the other option I have is to put a heated plant tray underneath the box... Or I have a lamp that I could put over it during the day... Maximum 60 watt bulb..
The other eggs are also in the house, in a box with a hot water bottle and enough towels around them to keep them between 35 & 40°C. One of them has been chirping and pipping, so fingers crossed it will hatch tomorrow!
Any suggestions on how else to look after these would be appreciated!
Its a bit of a surprise to be home rearing...
Want to do the best I can with the limited resources at my disposal!

 

[dennisma1]

We have been letting our hens sit on their eggs and hatch chicks on their own...
Mumma hens x 2 have been sitting on the eggs of several hens, laid over a couple of weeks...
First hen hatched 9 chicks over 3 or 4 days. 2nd hen has hatched 7 chicks over 5 days, but today there were still 3 eggs left unhatched and she's off the nest with her chicks.
One of the eggs was chirping and pipping, so I brought it into the house, it hatched, I warmed it up and made sure it had some drops of water, before taking it back to it's mom. Went back to check an hour later and it was in the chicken park, chilled and damp and unable to keep up with the older chicks!
Back in the house, warmed up again and made up an emergency brooder - plastic crate with paper in the bottom, made a wooly cave out of some chicken wire with the ends taped for safety & a fluffy tea cosy for the roof, couple of lids for food & water containers, sitting on a silver heat reflecting mat.
We're in the South of France and overnight outdoor temperatures are down to 17°C, inside expecting low 20's°C.
I am intending on putting a hot water bottle in the box later or the other option I have is to put a heated plant tray underneath the box... Or I have a lamp that I could put over it during the day... Maximum 60 watt bulb..
The other eggs are also in the house, in a box with a hot water bottle and enough towels around them to keep them between 35 & 40°C. One of them has been chirping and pipping, so fingers crossed it will hatch tomorrow!
Any suggestions on how else to look after these would be appreciated!
Its a bit of a surprise to be home rearing...
Want to do the best I can with the limited resources at my disposal!

I've only hand reared , except for some pullets , but chicks are flock animals so hopefully she will get some baby buddies. Heat , food, water, never had issues. Also the hand reared ones end up super friendly. Good luck!

 

[Scots in France]

UPDATE :
Heated plant tray is at the ideal temperature and humidity, got a Temperature + humidity & a max/min thermometer in the box.
Found a couple of fluffy cat toys for snuggling!
Yesterday's chick is doing well, had water and a few beaks of food this morning.
The egg has a small hole in it this morning, so we'll keep a close eye on it today!

 

[Scots in France]

I've only hand reared , except for some pullets , but chicks are flock animals so hopefully she will get some baby buddies. Heat , food, water, never had issues. Also the hand reared ones end up super friendly. Good luck!

Thank you!
There is one last egg which looks like it's going to hatch today, so there will be 2 of them... I was thinking of making a bit of a flock with some of the other chicks that are about the same age...

 

[bgmathteach]

We have been letting our hens sit on their eggs and hatch chicks on their own...
Mumma hens x 2 have been sitting on the eggs of several hens, laid over a couple of weeks...
First hen hatched 9 chicks over 3 or 4 days. 2nd hen has hatched 7 chicks over 5 days, but today there were still 3 eggs left unhatched and she's off the nest with her chicks.
One of the eggs was chirping and pipping, so I brought it into the house, it hatched, I warmed it up and made sure it had some drops of water, before taking it back to it's mom. Went back to check an hour later and it was in the chicken park, chilled and damp and unable to keep up with the older chicks!
Back in the house, warmed up again and made up an emergency brooder - plastic crate with paper in the bottom, made a wooly cave out of some chicken wire with the ends taped for safety & a fluffy tea cosy for the roof, couple of lids for food & water containers, sitting on a silver heat reflecting mat.
We're in the South of France and overnight outdoor temperatures are down to 17°C, inside expecting low 20's°C.
I am intending on putting a hot water bottle in the box later or the other option I have is to put a heated plant tray underneath the box... Or I have a lamp that I could put over it during the day... Maximum 60 watt bulb..
The other eggs are also in the house, in a box with a hot water bottle and enough towels around them to keep them between 35 & 40°C. One of them has been chirping and pipping, so fingers crossed it will hatch tomorrow!
Any suggestions on how else to look after these would be appreciated!
Its a bit of a surprise to be home rearing...
Want to do the best I can with the limited resources at my disposal!

I have had hens successfully take in 'orphan' chicks, but the chicks have to be a couple of days old and really have their 'legs under them' so to speak so they can keep up. You might try to, after all have hatched that are going to, give them a couple of days (make sure they are eating and drinking, too), then try putting them with a momma again.