Our eggs are hatching, we're not sure what to do here

[Jehosaphet]

The scenario: We have two hens and a rooster, all enclosed in the same pen at night (they roam our property freely during the day). Within this pen, there's a little hen house...and its within that little house that the hens would lay their eggs. Well, after forgetting to grab them for a few days in a row, one of the hens went into brood mode in there.

So here it is a few weeks later and last night we heard the peeping of some hatchlings...I'm not sure how many because mom won't let me look...she's sitting on them and pecks my hand away when I try and nudge her up a little. But at least one of the eggs have hatched, Mom is still sitting on them...and we're not sure what to do.
I've been reading, watching videos, but haven't come across anything saying what the first step should be here.

Do we just put some mash in there with the Mom and her babies and leave them be for now? Any chance mom would gobble the mash without leaving any for her chicks? Does she know that she needs to get off the nest in order to let her babies eat? Like, she doesn't seem like she's moving anytime soon, should we physically take her off the nest, get her out of there for a little bit while the chicks feed?

Its been 12 hours since the first egg hatched, do those chicks need fed like right now? Is it vital to get them food ASAP after hatching?
Sorry, we thought we had a little more time here. The other hen and rooster have been staying out of the inner hen house but we're going to separate the rooster today, should we separate the other hen as well?

 

[CHlCKEN]

The scenario: We have two hens and a rooster, all enclosed in the same pen at night (they roam our property freely during the day). Within this pen, there's a little hen house...and its within that little house that the hens would lay their eggs. Well, after forgetting to grab them for a few days in a row, one of the hens went into brood mode in there.
So here it is a few weeks later and last night we heard the peeping of some hatchlings...I'm not sure how many because mom won't let me look...she's sitting on them and pecks my hand away when I try and nudge her up a little. But at least one of the eggs have hatched, Mom is still sitting on them...and we're not sure what to do. I've been reading, watching videos, but haven't come across anything saying what the first step should be here.
Do we just put some mash in there with the Mom and her babies and leave them be for now? Any chance mom would gobble the mash without leaving any for her chicks? Does she know that she needs to get off the nest in order to let her babies eat? Like, she doesn't seem like she's moving anytime soon, should we physically take her off the nest, get her out of there for a little bit while the chicks feed?

Its been 12 hours since the first egg hatched, do those chicks need fed like right now? Is it vital to get them food ASAP after hatching?
Sorry, we thought we had a little more time here. The other hen and rooster have been staying out of the inner hen house but we're going to separate the rooster today, should we separate the other hen as well?

Hi, great question. I’ve never had this happen, but I have raised chicks. Have you raised chicks? I would hope you did bc if so than this means you would have used something as a brooder. There are two options for raising these chicks,

leaving them with the broody but taking the roo OUT (he will kill them) you can put in chick starter feed and water, not to deep or they will drown. You will have to pull the chicks out and fight the broody to dip their beaks so they know where the water is. Or you can let their mother teach them. This method you will not need a heat lamp, but if the mother rejects them they will die.

keeping them in a brooder indoors. This is the road I wouldn’t take, but in a way it CAN be safer, and you wouldn’t have to take the roo out. Just take the chicks and put them in some sort of brooder (I use a kiddy pool) then you put in chick starter in a chick feeder, and dip their beaks in water (not to deep or they will drown) then you give them a heat lamp and raise them as you would hatchery chicks (take note that your chicks will not be vaccinated as they would be at a hatchery)

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

The scenario: We have two hens and a rooster, all enclosed in the same pen at night (they roam our property freely during the day). Within this pen, there's a little hen house...and its within that little house that the hens would lay their eggs. Well, after forgetting to grab them for a few days in a row, one of the hens went into brood mode in there.
So here it is a few weeks later and last night we heard the peeping of some hatchlings...I'm not sure how many because mom won't let me look...she's sitting on them and pecks my hand away when I try and nudge her up a little. But at least one of the eggs have hatched, Mom is still sitting on them...and we're not sure what to do. I've been reading, watching videos, but haven't come across anything saying what the first step should be here.
Do we just put some mash in there with the Mom and her babies and leave them be for now? Any chance mom would gobble the mash without leaving any for her chicks? Does she know that she needs to get off the nest in order to let her babies eat? Like, she doesn't seem like she's moving anytime soon, should we physically take her off the nest, get her out of there for a little bit while the chicks feed?

Its been 12 hours since the first egg hatched, do those chicks need fed like right now? Is it vital to get them food ASAP after hatching?
Sorry, we thought we had a little more time here. The other hen and rooster have been staying out of the inner hen house but we're going to separate the rooster today, should we separate the other hen as well?

Chicks can survive for two days without food they absorb the yolk sack for nutrients mom will take them out to eat herself do you have chick starter or all flock/grower? You do not need to separate the hen and rooster since mom will protect them but you can just Incase.

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

Hi, great question. I’ve never had this happen, but I have raised chicks. Have you raised chicks? I would hope you did bc if so than this means you would have used something as a brooder. There are two options for raising these chicks,

leaving them with the broody but taking the roo OUT (he will kill them) you can put in chick starter feed and water, not to deep or they will drown. You will have to pull the chicks out and fight the broody to dip their beaks so they know where the water is. Or you can let their mother teach them. This method you will not need a heat lamp, but if the mother rejects them they will die.

keeping them in a brooder indoors. This is the road I wouldn’t take, but in a way it CAN be safer, and you wouldn’t have to take the roo out. Just take the chicks and put them in some sort of brooder (I use a kiddy pool) then you put in chick starter in a chick feeder, and dip their beaks in water (not to deep or they will drown) then you give them a heat lamp and raise them as you would hatchery chicks (take note that your chicks will not be vaccinated as they would be at a hatchery)

The roo will not kill them I’ve never had or see a roo kill his own chicks he just knows those are his offspring he would not kill his own genetics that would defeat the whole purpose of him wanting to mate.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Dont move the mom. Chicks will wriggle between her wings and body to warm up and movi g her can crush them.

She will get off when she feels no more eggs will hatch and get food for the rest of her chicks. She will let them eat first or she will eat with them. She won't take their food

 

[Jehosaphet]

The roo will not kill them I’ve never had or see a roo kill his own chicks he just knows those are his offspring he would not kill his own genetics that would defeat the whole purpose of him wanting to mate.

I read something about them being able to tell if any of the chicks are roosters...maybe that's what it'd have to do with?
But he's also the most docile damn rooster you ever saw, he's been de-spurred and has never acted even a little aggressive...if that'd make any difference.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Also personally I don't seperate the hen anymore. I don't have problems with aggression and the male helps keep everyone behaving. Plus then they don't have to be introduced when they're older

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I read something about them being able to tell if any of the chicks are roosters...maybe that's what it'd have to do with?
But he's also the most docile damn rooster you ever saw, he's been de-spurred and has never acted even a little aggressive...if that'd make any difference.

I have 2 males in my main flock, and one of the gmeggs hatched is another little male. No problems here

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

I read something about them being able to tell if any of the chicks are roosters...maybe that's what it'd have to do with?
But he's also the most docile damn rooster you ever saw, he's been de-spurred and has never acted even a little aggressive...if that'd make any difference.

He cannot tell their gender and he will not hurt him especially if he’s as friendly as you say.

 

[Jehosaphet]

Thanks for the responses guys, seems like the most natural order of things is to leave the chicks with Mom, put some starter food in with them, separate the rooster just in case...and help the chicks find water, despite mom's objections...once they've started leaving the nest anyway. Once mom has decided they've all had a chance to hatch.

Edit: Hadn't read the last couple responses...okay so just keep an eye on the rooster then, it should probably be fine, won't have to acclimate them all later. Gotcha.