Just learned something new that might be helpful to others. I've carried "foot warmers" in my "chicken kit" that I've taken to shows and sales for several years--originally got the warmers because I was getting some chicks and didn't know if they'd need supplemental heat until I got them home. Didn't need them then, but still take them. I'd looked at all the warmers (the ones that are air activated, last about 6 hours and will stay good until opened), and ended up with he foot warmers because it looked like they'd last a long time and not get too hot. Anyway, I've used them several times at shows/sales when other people have had little chicks that were very cold and needed some help.
Some of my silkies are so determined to hatch eggs that they don't seem to know what to do when chicks hatch--usually first-time moms. They often throw the hatching eggs or the newly-hatched chick out of the nest so they can concentrate on the eggs. This morning there were actually three in that situation. The first one had hatched, but was out of the nest and cold. The second had only pipped a little, and someone had pooped on its shell, so I had little hope for it--Vashi had heard them crying. Didn't find the third one until about an hour later, in another nest. It had barely pipped but was peeping. All were fairly cold.
Didn't want to start the incubator up, so I brought them in and warmed them with the hair dryer. Then opened one of the foot warmers and put it in a box with a layer of hand towel over it. Wrapped the egg (hadn't found the second one yet) in fairly wet, warm paper toweling and put it in the box on the covered warmer and covered loosely with the towel. Went out to feed the flock, and when I came back in, the baby that had hatched had died--may have been too hot--wasn't able to resuscitate it. Added the second egg under the wet paper toweling and covered it loosely. Those babies popped out of their shells pretty quickly. Had an appointment for a permanent, so checked to see they weren't too hot, and left. When I got back, they were actually on the cold side,but were pretty active, so warmed them with the blow dryer and put them out with the other tiny babes in the brooder in the barn.
Much better luck than just with the blow dryer and easier than setting up an incubator or taking a chance one of the hens would continue to brood them.
Some of my silkies are so determined to hatch eggs that they don't seem to know what to do when chicks hatch--usually first-time moms. They often throw the hatching eggs or the newly-hatched chick out of the nest so they can concentrate on the eggs. This morning there were actually three in that situation. The first one had hatched, but was out of the nest and cold. The second had only pipped a little, and someone had pooped on its shell, so I had little hope for it--Vashi had heard them crying. Didn't find the third one until about an hour later, in another nest. It had barely pipped but was peeping. All were fairly cold.
Didn't want to start the incubator up, so I brought them in and warmed them with the hair dryer. Then opened one of the foot warmers and put it in a box with a layer of hand towel over it. Wrapped the egg (hadn't found the second one yet) in fairly wet, warm paper toweling and put it in the box on the covered warmer and covered loosely with the towel. Went out to feed the flock, and when I came back in, the baby that had hatched had died--may have been too hot--wasn't able to resuscitate it. Added the second egg under the wet paper toweling and covered it loosely. Those babies popped out of their shells pretty quickly. Had an appointment for a permanent, so checked to see they weren't too hot, and left. When I got back, they were actually on the cold side,but were pretty active, so warmed them with the blow dryer and put them out with the other tiny babes in the brooder in the barn.
Much better luck than just with the blow dryer and easier than setting up an incubator or taking a chance one of the hens would continue to brood them.
