***OKIES in the BYC III ***

Ok fellow Okies, if you remember, I posted on here a couple of weeks ago that I'd had a broody hen get off her eggs, and I was afraid they'd gotten too cold before I found her and got her back on her nest. After much good advice, I decided I'd leave her on her eggs, and if she didn't hatch any, I'd slip some chicks under her so my Granddaughter wouldn't be disappointed. Today is hatch day, and wouldn't you know it, a couple of the poor little buggers have survived despite moms running off. Here's my problem.... I left the eggs under her, and one actually made it out of the egg by itself. I went out to check on them, and the poor little wet thing was about 6" from the nest. I'm fairly sure mom must've pecked him and flung him out there, or he wouldn't have gotten that far away. She also managed to break a rotten egg, so you can imagine the stinking mess. I've put clean shavings in her nest, and taken the poor little chick and another that was halfway out to the house. I know there's at least one more egg that's got a chick in it. My question is this, do I leave it under mom until it's hatched, or bring it in and hope for the best. I have no incubator to put it in, but I can put it under the heat lamp with the other chicks. I have a feeling it's chances are slim either way, but I may just be being too much of a pessimist. What do you all think?
Leave it under the momma. It needs the proper humidity which it won't get under a heat lamp. I would go check to see if it's hatched late tonight like 11 PM, and again first thing in the morning. If she hasn't bonded to it and is taking care of it, take it away.
 
Leave it under the momma. It needs the proper humidity which it won't get under a heat lamp. I would go check to see if it's hatched late tonight like 11 PM, and again first thing in the morning. If she hasn't bonded to it and is taking care of it, take it away.

Thanks, that's what I figured would be best. I hope the hen decides chicks are cool so she can take care of them! :)
 
Newcastle had lots of birds. I got to meet Bardies (Kim) and her husband, Both are super nice. I took $55 with me and came home with $19, so I thought I did really good. I got 6 tiny Lavender Guinea babies, 4 newly hatched chicks and the most beautiful pair of Bantam Partridge Cochins for only $10. They're tiny and awesome & in really good shape, someone took excellent care of them.
These Guinea babies are soooo quiet compared to the 6 i hatched 18 months ago. I had swore no more Guineas but sheesh-Lavenders are really pretty. I'm going to raise them in a covered pen over the winter and see if i can get mine as tame as Robin's are.
 
Here is a link to the Poultry Swap in Tahlequah for next weekend.







http://www.facebook.com/events/408217012612634/?ref=22

I just checked Weather Underground. Looks like partly cloudy for Saturday and Sunday!
Perfect chickening weather
celebrate.gif
. I still haven't decided what day I will go. Anyone else headed to this swap? What day are you going?
 
I'm half tempted to upload a video of poor little Dorcus to see if her behavior is normal for a new chick, but instinct tells me it isn't. Sometimes she seems just fine, but she spends an awful lot of time standing in one place, head down, and her little body moves like she's breathing heavy, but her backside ripples like she's trying to poop. But she seems to be moving waste just fine. Her companions haven't done this that I've seen.

Tell me I'm just a paranoid first-time hatching mom.
 
I'm half tempted to upload a video of poor little Dorcus to see if her behavior is normal for a new chick, but instinct tells me it isn't. Sometimes she seems just fine, but she spends an awful lot of time standing in one place, head down, and her little body moves like she's breathing heavy, but her backside ripples like she's trying to poop. But she seems to be moving waste just fine. Her companions haven't done this that I've seen.

Tell me I'm just a paranoid first-time hatching mom.

Is she getting medicated feed? She may need Corrid or Sulmet.
 
I'm half tempted to upload a video of poor little Dorcus to see if her behavior is normal for a new chick, but instinct tells me it isn't. Sometimes she seems just fine, but she spends an awful lot of time standing in one place, head down, and her little body moves like she's breathing heavy, but her backside ripples like she's trying to poop. But she seems to be moving waste just fine. Her companions haven't done this that I've seen.

Tell me I'm just a paranoid first-time hatching mom.

Sorry, but your description doesn't sound normal to me. Chicks "resting" in the head down position past the first day or so has never been a good outcome for me.
 

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