Unexpected Hidden Chicks

[ChickenWhisperer101]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

Here's an article that talks about raising chicks with an in-coop brooder, and allowing them to mingle with the flock starting at a few weeks old (but with chick-sized openings, so the chicks can go in & out of the brooder, but the big chickens cannot get into the brooder.)

If you do have to raise this chick in a brooder, you might swipe one chick from the hen to raise with it, so it's not completely alone in the brooder and when being integrated with the flock.

Agreed

 

[agingerbrunette]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

Here's an article that talks about raising chicks with an in-coop brooder, and allowing them to mingle with the flock starting at a few weeks old (but with chick-sized openings, so the chicks can go in & out of the brooder, but the big chickens cannot get into the brooder.)

If you do have to raise this chick in a brooder, you might swipe one chick from the hen to raise with it, so it's not completely alone in the brooder and when being integrated with the flock.

I was thinking about grabbing one of the other chicks but then I got worried about having issues integrating that one as well.
The in coop brooder is great! I have some areas in the coop where the chicks can fit but rest of the flock can’t, but this is next level and safer.

I do not have a big enough coop for this many chickens (I only had a flock of 3 hens and 1 rooster) and I can not keep another rooster (suburbs).

I’m going to take this one day at a time and use all the tips I’ve been given thus far to try to keep everyone alive and healthy!

I’m sure I’ll have another question soon! Thank you for the link and advice!

 

[agingerbrunette]

The little guy wasn’t meant for this world. Nothing traumatic he went to sleep and never woke up

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

The little guy wasn’t meant for this world. Nothing traumatic he went to sleep and never woke up

oh so sad, you gave so much effort to get him on his feet from hatch looking after him brilliantly with all the comforts like a chicken mumma. It's always so hard to loose a little sweetie you spent time helping.

Enjoy your other cuties! It's beautiful to watch mumma hen care for her chicks

 

[agingerbrunette]

**UPDATE**

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to give an update to everyone who gave me advice through my first broody hen hatching experience. Just a heads up this may be longer than I would like it to be.

After the first 6 chicks were born within 24 hours of each other we still had four eggs. I candled them and saw two were fully developed with two other about 15 or so days. Petunia (my broody girl) abandoned the last 4 eggs and two days later one hatched with a smidgen of assistance and didn't make it through the night. That's where we left off.

I couldn't bring myself to pull the other developed egg and throw it away so I just left it thinking nature would take it's course... well nature took its course right up to that very determined little chick hatching. It hatched late in the afternoon so we put Petunia and the other chicks in the hen house with the baby and Petunia seemed to have no issues. We checked regularly and the little chick seemed to be doing well.

The following day I had to work and the new chick was not able to keep up with 4 day old chicks so we opted to put the new chick and another chick in a makeshift mama brooder box. That night we stuck the babies under Petunia and again no issues.

I'm very interested in what theses new babies are going to look like as they grow. I have "easter reject" chickens as I like to call them. They were used for easter pictures and dumped after. I have no idea their breed but I just assume they're some kind of bantam cross. We do have a friend with a large farm who will be taking any rooster or hen we aren't able to keep since we are in the suburbs and have learned a very valuable lesson about triple checking for eggs.

My flock pre surprise chicks (Petunia is the white hen)

These little stools made a great little area the chicks could fit but the rest of the flock could not.

The late hatcher has been doing great and today they started roosting! They grow up so fast.