Ribh's D'Coopage

[kattabelly]

Experienced hatchers: Did I call it too early? Should I have left it a bit longer?

If it had been 48 hours I'd say you waited long enough. It sounds like you did a good job and allowing it to finish hatching itself was a good move. I try to do that too, when I assist.

With incubator-hatched chicks that seem especially weak, I'll monitor for a while and sometimes give them a first feed just to prevent them falling into a spiral of weak > struggle to eat > get weaker > even less able to feed themselves > etc. That might be more intervention than you're comfortable with providing for broody-hatched chicks, and of course it depends on the broodies themselves whether they'll allow that much interference.

It doesn't always work out this way but of the three chicks that hatched under a broody here recently, one of the two that have made it to 8 weeks old - despite being weaned at one month, in the middle of winter - is the one I helped slightly.

 

[Ribh]

Eddie says Happy Caturday!

View attachment 4284401

Today is windy and rainy and I don’t feel terribly motivated to do anything other than sew.

I hope your chicks survive and thrive.

Thanks Lozzy. So far everyone has survived.

 

[Ribh]

If it had been 48 hours I'd say you waited long enough. It sounds like you did a good job and allowing it to finish hatching itself was a good move. I try to do that too, when I assist.

With incubator-hatched chicks that seem especially weak, I'll monitor for a while and sometimes give them a first feed just to prevent them falling into a spiral of weak > struggle to eat > get weaker > even less able to feed themselves > etc. That might be more intervention than you're comfortable with providing for broody-hatched chicks, and of course it depends on the broodies themselves whether they'll allow that much interference.

It doesn't always work out this way but of the three chicks that hatched under a broody here recently, one of the two that have made it to 8 weeks old - despite being weaned at one month, in the middle of winter - is the one I helped slightly.

Thanks, @kattabelly. That is really helpful to know. While I've kept chickens for years I've only been able to hatch since I moved up here & the 1st couple of attempts were disastrous! Not helped by my lot insisting on co-sitting & co- parenting. Too many cooks.
Thanks for the heads up on letting the chick finish the job herself. I was working on instinct, not knowledge. She's out & about with the other 2 this afternoon. That's her down in the bottom left corner.

 

[Ribh]

I put down food & water for the chicks this afternoon. Everyone came out & had something.

Meanwhile Pearl has designs on being a lap chicken...

Anixe will come & peck me for attention...

And I found Minerva's hidden nest.