Slothinc
Songster
- Apr 15, 2020
- 249
- 610
- 206
I have a mama who hatched a surprise chick this morning. It was a surprise because I thought the egg wasn’t developing because it was brown and I couldn’t see through the shell very well, and it had been 22-23 days of incubation. I had put 3 shipped eggs under the mama and two for sure didn’t develop so I tossed them a week or so ago. I had planned to toss the last one today and break my broodies and then I was shocked to see a chick sitting there!! That is my only chick - none of the incubator eggs made it. Will it do okay being alone with the mom? Or do I need to find more chicks? For some reason no one around here really has day olds, the only ones I can find are very far away. I never buy chicks from feed stores as I prefer to buy local. Is it really important to get more babies for this chick?
Also should I try to break the other broody moms? I could give them some fertile eggs that I have coming in the mail, but that means they would be broody and sitting for like 2x longer than normal. I don’t really want to give them chicks, as I have a small flock and am trying to be selective about the breeds that I am bringing in, and they aren’t able to be found around here. Thanks for any insight - this is the first time I’ve had a broody hatch anything and now I’m wishing I would have put more shipped eggs under the broodies because they are having a horrible time in the incubator.
Also should I try to break the other broody moms? I could give them some fertile eggs that I have coming in the mail, but that means they would be broody and sitting for like 2x longer than normal. I don’t really want to give them chicks, as I have a small flock and am trying to be selective about the breeds that I am bringing in, and they aren’t able to be found around here. Thanks for any insight - this is the first time I’ve had a broody hatch anything and now I’m wishing I would have put more shipped eggs under the broodies because they are having a horrible time in the incubator.