Possible hatchlings?? Help! Advice?!

[Weeg]

Would it be helpful to add DE to the soil before laying down the pine shavings? Or fresh coop/garden/poultry dust etc?

here is a pic of the run prior to set up

and got it for the grit. Do moms need any oyster shells or layer feed? Will they be okay nutritionally with the chick starter?

That setup looks great! A good size for chicks and mom. Only problem is see, is that you are it wrapped in chicken wire. Predators such as raccoons, coyotes, etc, will be able to tear through chicken wire easily. They wont be able to get into the pen because its made of heavy steel, but coons will grab adult chickens and try to pull them through the wire killing them. They will be able to pull chicks through that wire though.
Don't want to worry you, but its definitly soemthgin to keep in mind. With my dog kennel chick setups, I wrap the inside in chicken wire, then wrap another layer of hardware cloth or welded wire over the top of that to keep chicks in, and predators out.

Chicks will be perfectly fine on chick starter, and mom will not need OS or Layer feed since she sent be laying for multiple months while she's raising the chicks. Mom and babies can all eat chick starter.
I wouldn't worry about DE, or other dusts. Unless you have a current lice or mite issue, theres no need. DE is ineffective against mites or lice anyway, you wold need Permethrin dust for that.
Happy hatching keep us posted!

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

FYI, two of my Brodie’s eggs hatched in my hands I was s as blue to catch Sunny while her eggs were hatching, and I grabbed two of the eggs while the babies were pushing their way out.
Keep tabs on hatching, you may get a once in a lifetime experience.

Amazing!!! I check them in the morning, a few times throughout the day and again in the evening when I do a headcount at bedtime. Can you over check??

 

[Weeg]

Haha yes, I gotcha. My husband and kids actually bought me an incubator for my birthday last month, but just haven’t had time to sit down and set it up. Then…… I accidentally (cracked an egg for breakfast) and realized my silkies eggs were fertilized! So I just left the newly laid eggs under her & surrogate momma.

I swear every time I’m out back I’m checking. Just waiting and waiting. To clarify, I only lift momma to take a peek… I don’t touch anymore since we are in lockdown. Sometimes I just go out because. I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting to catch/see Santa!

So is it okay to ‘help’ them once they’ve poked a hole? At what point is it safe to help them or hold them?

Does doing either of the above (helping/holding newly hatched chicks) run the risk of momma rejecting them?

I’ll keep y’all updated!

I feel your pain!
If you go out and see pipping or zipping, leave for a good hour or two and come back later. Don't try to grab any eggs or help at all until they are actually pushing out of the shell, theres an obvious crack all the way around the egg, and much of the baby is visible.
If your unsure, than leave them be.
You do not want to help the chick at all, helping to early can mean breaking blood vessels which will kill the chick. The only time you'd want to help is if an egg didn't make any progress hours, (sometimes up to 24 hours) after a pip, or the start of zipping, or no signs of hatching at all. Than you ask the expert members on here about their opinion.
Every experience is different. I've hatched in an incubator multiple times, so I've had a bit of experience. My broody hen was also very friendly, so trusted me enough to handle her hatching eggs.
Though holding hatching chicks isn't a suggestion, the safest thing to do is peek, notice hatching chicks, and come back later, hours later even. That was just my personal experience, always air on the side of caution, and don't peek or handle eggs if you think there is a chance of risk. Its not worth it.

When I held mine during hatching, I never took the egg out of momma's site. She watched the chick the entire time and allowed me to slip the baby back under her after the hatching was over.

Can't wait for updates! Hatching is exactly like Christmas, even more exciting in my opinion.
Ps. What incubator did you get? Incubating is so much fun, though I find that using local eggs yields much better results than shipped. The best hatch rate I've gotten from shipped eggs was 1 healthy happy living chick. Were my broody ended up hatching 5 eggs from the same batch! Pretty interesting.

 

[Weeg]

WE HAVE 2 chicks!!!! another is pipping(?). I can’t believe it!

4th under momma so far nothing.

the egg under silkie momma hasn’t pipped yet either, but 21 days will be on Sunday!

@Chicken poppy @Weeg

should I leave the eggs under big momma or

They are so beautiful! Yes, you have another one pipping yay! Odd that its on the side, botching to be concerned about but look like she may have skipped the air sack. Hope you get a 3rd little one soon!
Try not to lift momma to much so you don't let out to much humidity. Humidity is what is keeping the membrane moist, and if it gets to dry it can shrink wrap to the chick. One little peek shouldn't' hurt anything though.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Oh,

No no! Its fine, your just worried. Their days apart usually because their laid apart, meaning that they hatch differently. You can candle them, id personally wait, its a bit risky to candle on lockdown In my personal opinion. But you can if youd like! Get your brooder made for sure, im not sure if your planning on her raising them or you, but id take them away after the eggs hatch and give a few days or however long you want! But of course, let their feathers dry fully. you could use the heater now, thats what i would probably do.

i thought they meant heater for the brooder if they do that. Otherwise a heater is not useful if the mommas doing it for you.

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

There are multiple ways people do it, people sometimes dont want them outside incase predators are often, even if the moms protecting them. Some people want them to hatch it cause they cant or choose not to use a incubator, and then gently take the chicks to a brooder. I personally think its smart to leave them with the mom, but if the feathers are dry and you know what your doing theres no harm in taking them.

I’m 50/50 on leaving with mom. On 1 hand I have no problem leaving them with her to raise and integrate. On the other hand, my other birds have been passing around a cold. Most have gotten over it, but some are still dealing with runny noses. Neither momma has it.

also, the rest of the flock is getting over fowl pox. Yes we’ve been hot hard this summer/fall.
Again neither mother has it or is showing symptoms. Are the chicks still okay outside in the “maternity ward/nursery”.

I have a brooder in my garage that I have month old chicks currently in… bought at TSC/breeder. I know they can’t be together but just saying I do have other options if necessary…

 

[Chicken poppy]

I’m 50/50 on leaving with mom. On 1 hand I have no problem leaving them with her to raise and integrate. On the other hand, my other birds have been passing around a cold. Most have gotten over it, but some are still dealing with runny noses. Neither momma has it.

also, the rest of the flock is getting over fowl pox. Yes we’ve been hot hard this summer/fall.
Again neither mother has it or is showing symptoms. Are the chicks still okay outside in the “maternity ward/nursery”.

I have a brooder in my garage that I have month old chicks currently in… bought at TSC/breeder. I know they can’t be together but just saying I do have other options if necessary…

Oh my, id take them in then if she doesnt stress over it.. if she does, maybe take her in to to visit them IF possible Every while or so. Best of luck to the momma and chicks

 

[Chicken poppy]

I would probably leave the chicks with the hen.

But if you take the chicks away to raise them separately, I would NOT do any kind of back-and-forth visiting. That will just keep the hen and chicks upset for longer: mommy/baby was here, now they're missing, now they're here, now they're missing...

It is overall less stressful for them to separate and be done with it, if you feel that leaving them together is unsafe.

If theres fowl pox going around no. Id absolutely not leave them with the hen. Thatd be much worse. fowl pox is often contagious from other chickens and mosquitos, if theres other chickens that have it (probably mosquitoes to if thats the case) that ups the chances of the momma and baby chicks getting it.

 

[Chicken poppy]

But if they cannot stay with the hen because of the fowl pox, then having the hen visit the chicks would also be a bad idea.



Separating the mother from her chicks will not change where the mosquitos can fly!

If the hen has the disease, then the chicks are already exposed.

If the hen does not have the disease, and the chicks can be moved to a safe place, then the hen can presumably be moved with them.

As i just said, brooder. usually people have brooders inside and she said the hen probably doesnt have the disease, so its fine. Also, yes, the hen can. Sorry if im misunderstanding what you said, i dont think brooders are often outside though. And i was saying move them From mama cause most people may not be able to bring their hen inside (but yes, having them visit wouldnt be the smartest in that matter if she already did)

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

So another question- I told you I’d have A lot! speaking of fowl pox, avian colds etc… should I get my chicks vaccinated for anything? Ie: fowl pox, marek’s… if so how do I go about that? Is it something I can buy OTC? Do I need a vet prescription? At what age do they get vaccinated?