Surprise hatch!! First time

[Aapomp831]

so we’ve had a broody Bantam, but this is my first year raising chickens and have only ever gotten chicks from tractor supply so I wasn’t sure what to do. Sure enough, this morning the egg hatched. We have a small coop next to our big coop, so we cleaned it out, put Mom and chick inside and supplied food and water. She has access to the outside but it’s fenced so the other chickens can’t get in. Anything else I need to do, or just let nature take over??
Attached are pics of Mom and Dad and then the chick.

 

[JedJackson]

The main thing now is leaving them alone so they can be comfortable and bond. First time broodies can abandon their offspring if they're too stressed out. Make sure whatever you use for water is very shallow, and maybe put some small, clean rocks in the watering tray, to guard against the possibility of drowning the chick. And you may want to up the chick's protein intake by changing it's feed to chick starter.

It's a cute baby! And it sounds like you have a good set-up. Beware of any cats that might be around-- they will go after chicks if they can.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thank you so very much! No cats, my dogs are always in the yard. I did see a snake out there though, a black snake trying to get in the coop. I chased it off with a broom handle; it was a juvenile.

 

[JedJackson]

Thank you so very much! No cats, my dogs are always in the yard. I did see a snake out there though, a black snake trying to get in the coop. I chased it off with a broom handle; it was a juvenile.

Snakes are bad news for chicks, too, so good job. The more protected you can keep the chick while small and vulnerable, the better. There are just so many things out there that want to eat them, and they can easily die of chill if they get wet at that age. Vigilance pays off.

 

[Aapomp831]

We are in North Carolina and it’s been raining for 2 weeks, I want to cover the “grate” so rain can’t blow in, but I don’t want to disrupt the ventilation.... the coop is under a thin tarp.
Do you know if Mom will defend baby against a snake, or will the snake scare it off and then get the baby....

 

[JedJackson]

We are in North Carolina and it’s been raining for 2 weeks, I want to cover the “grate” so rain can’t blow in, but I don’t want to disrupt the ventilation.... the coop is under a thin tarp.
Do you know if Mom will defend baby against a snake, or will the snake scare it off and then get the baby....

It depends on the hen, but usually they will defend their chicks, if they can. Not worth taking the chance, though. If you can find a way to get them somewhere where the snakes can't get in you are better off.

 

[drumstick diva]

Snakes are just plain bad to have around chickens and worse around chicks. Totally agree with Jed Jackson.

Don't count on the broody to protect the chick. Loads of people have gone out to collect eggs, reach under the hen and find a snake there. The hen didn't even notice. But it did cause a lot of screaming by the human involved.

 

[Aapomp831]

We are going to get screens to put around the ventilation that we currently have. So far momma is doing a great job protecting her baby

 

[Ladybird CA]

Looks like it might turn out mottled

 

[Aapomp831]

Looks like it might turn out mottled

That would be neat!! I
Hope so.