Put Chicks Under Broody Last Night - One is gone, other is barely hanging in there.

[ChickenSahib]

Well,

I put them under last night. In the morning it seemed all right. The other chickens found a spot to lay their eggs.

However, I just got back from shopping and I found one of the chicks outside of the nest just with closed eyes and barely moving. I don't know how long it was out there and the weather is pretty chilly at the moment.

I stuck that one under the broody right away to get the chick warmed up.

Hopefully she pulls through.

Any advice?

This is my first time trying this.

 

[FireTigeris]

How old are they? Where were they before? How long was she broody for?

Is she chattering at them? Ignoring them?

 

[ChickenSahib]

Wow,

One of them died =(

I think it got squashed by the broody. The one I found outside is not doing so well either. I gave it some water through a small dropper and tried to mix some starter into it.

I'm going to be checking on the remainder chick every half-hour.

 

[ChickenSahib]

She's chattering at them, like opening her beak and clapping them, and then she nips at the down and that's it.

She's been broody for about 2.5 weeks now.

Hopefully this barred rock chick is a fighter... I just buried the Buff Oprington chick =(

The chick is about 3 days old today and I got them at the feed store.


Also, since the coop is above ground, should I have any problems with the ramp?

 

[FireTigeris]

The chicks -may- not know she is trying to protect them and keep them warm and safe... if they had hatched under her they would have learned her voice from inside the shell, she would set on them two additional days until all hatched and the hatched ones were strong enough to keep up- during the first three days the y do not need to eat so she takes them to eat and drink day two-day three, the weak ones that cannot keep up or run away from her die... the strong and smart live.

They may be too old to leave with her I try up to day three but not after that and I check every hour or so for abandon or confused chicks, I brooder raise those till 4 weeks the rest I leave with my broods.

The imprint faze for a chick is two days before hatch to about two days after hatch, w/o hearing hens or seeing hens in that time they are huge- albeit warm monsters.

(Ducks (mallard type) is one day before hatch and three days after)

 

[ChickenSahib]

It might have not been the broody's fault.

The last chick remaining is vomiting a sort of egg white stuff.

If this last one passes away within the hour, I'll bury it and try to break my broody again.

If not, I'll try to introduce chicks next week again.

 

[FireTigeris]

I'm saying it may be the chicks not responding to her

 

[ChickenSahib]

It doesn't matter anymore =/

The last one passed away. It was vomiting some eggwhite consistency liquid.

I just hosed the broody and hopefully that fixed her.