We're hatching! What do I do!?

[Prismis]

We have about 40 birds and we have 3 possibly fertilized eggs (started as 6, but 1 disappeared, 1 was abandoned, 1 was collected by accident we never meant to have chicks but we didnt collect for about a week so we figured why not?) ....that a broody hen has been sitting on.

Egg #1 has a beak poking out and pipping.

What do we do? I don't want them to hatch in the coop with all the other birds so they don't get hurt/eaten. I don't have a space set up where I can bring the hen with the eggs.

We've gotten day old chicks before and kept them in a box with a lamp over it. Is this enough for the chicks that are hatching right now?

What do you recommend!? Thanks!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Get something like a rubbermaid container, or a medium dog cage, etc. And fill it with hay or wood shavings. Add waterer and feeder, then CAREFULLY move the mom and chicks in there, however I recommend to do so once the chicks have finished hatching, however if its an emergency move the mom, then set each egg under her very carefully.

They shouldn't need a heat lamp, but watch out if the mom is a bad mom (pecking chicks, leaving them cold, etc.)

 

[Chefswifey]

We have about 40 birds and we have 3 possibly fertilized eggs (started as 6, but 1 disappeared, 1 was abandoned, 1 was collected by accident

we never meant to have chicks but we didnt collect for about a week so we figured why not?) ....that a broody hen has been sitting on.
Egg #1 has a beak poking out and pipping.
What do we do? I don't want them to hatch in the coop with all the other birds so they don't get hurt/eaten. I don't have a space set up where I can bring the hen with the eggs.
We've gotten day old chicks before and kept them in a box with a lamp over it. Is this enough for the chicks that are hatching right now?
What do you recommend!? Thanks!

Wait until night!! mom will protect the babies!! she will abandon them if you move them during the day... also, you want her to raise the chicks if you can because you wont need to use a heat lamp and it'll help her overcome her broodiness... if you take the chicks away from her she could decided to sit on eggs and remain broody....you want them all on ground level with access to food and water plus an area for mom to go poo away from the nest(it's a huge pile)... make sure the area is draft free and as close to room temp as possible... good luck!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Quote:
No. The mom could be terrible. I lost 2 chicks due to this. Thank gosh the other eggs didnt hatch. I wouldn't trust the fact that the mom will be great and protect. Mine sure weren't, and I had 2 completely different aged, different breeds, chickens. And you can move them during the day - The mom won't care. So long as its warm, safe, and has food / water she'll be happy. And if she decides to sit on eggs again its not too hard to stick the eggs under her, let her sit on them 1 day, then switch out eggs for chicks so she thinks she hatched them (My grandma did this),

 

[Prismis]

I don't have anything here right now to bring the hen with the eggs. I need to know what to do with the eggs. Thank you for your suggestion, if I did I wouldn't have this problem lol

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

I don't have anything here right now to bring the hen with the eggs. I need to know what to do with the eggs. Thank you for your suggestion, if I did I wouldn't have this problem

lol

The eggs, or hatching chicks?

 

[Prismis]

The eggs, or hatching chicks?

Same thing since they were hatching? Anyway 2 of 3 have hatched. My shoebox with a light seems to be fine. Thanks!

 

[Pele]

Yeah, when I hatched my turkeys under two bantams (yes, it was silly looking, but they were the only broodies at the time), all I did was wait for them to finish, then steal the chicks when they finished fluffing. They don't really run around till then anyway, which is when they'd be in danger of getting pecked. One of the bantams, bless her heart, was a good mother, but she was just too small to fit them all. She really really tried to cover them all though, I've never seen such a flat chicken.

What you're doing is fine, just take them out as they hatch, and keep heat on them. You'll need a bigger box soon though!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Quote:
XD, well I wouldn't move them until they've hatched, or before thye started, not WHILE their hatching tho