Surprise in the nest today!!

[JoyBelle]

We have several broody hens who have been sitting for MONTHS with no results. Today when collecting eggs, I discovered a chick!!!! It was in the next door nesting box, cold and barely moving. I took it and put it in a box with a heat lamp, gave it water (with a dropper) but don't know what to do about food.

The mama is sitting on about a doz eggs. One other chick was hatched and squashed

and when she got back on to sit, she squashed another egg which had a developing chick in it. I have a sense that the eggs mama is sitting on are a collection of eggs with varying hatch dates.

What do I do with this situation? I can hear peeping coming from at least one other egg. Do I candle them and weed out the no go`s? Do I stick this live one back under mama? I'm afraid it will get squashed. What do I feed this little guy, or does mama do that?


Thanks & Blessings, Newbie

 

[ksct]

where's the pics?!?!?!

 

[JoyBelle]

sorry, my camera broke, haven't replaced it.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I don't think I would put it back under the hen. Especially if she has already stepped on one. I would put it in a box with a heat lamp 95 degrees. It can go a couple of days without food. Just get some chick starter to feed it and water. Also, the next one that hatches, I would take it out and put it in with the first one so it doesn't get lonely. Good luck with the rest.

 

[JoyBelle]

Arghhh! She has squashed two more little guys!

Don't these hens know how to sit on their eggs w/o squashing them???

Should I take the eggs out and finish them in the incubator and then stick them back under her? If I do that, should I put the one the already hatched one I have in the kitchen back under her or wait until they are all hatchted to do that?

Thanks & Blessings, Joy