What is "normal" after hatching?

[Crow-ded house]

One hen layed the eggs and the other one stole her 6 eggs to add to her one. The theif never left the nest and they both slept on them at night. Did not know they were gonna hatch but left them alone and cleaned around them while building new and safer coop. Was gonna try to hatch eggs later this spring. On moving day picked up one hen and a baby was under her and pucked up other hen and six more!! We moved them all and the theif is totally doing a great job. They kept babies in new coop for their first week and we placed food and water in there and now everyone is running around outside scratching, bathing, doing great. I believe mother nature can handle it. But yes it was a great feeling when we saw our little accidents. Congrats on your babies! And oh how adorable watching their antics.

 

[ScottKelly1974]

Maybe whoever can answer Isaiah53 will be able to help me as well. (Congrats Isaiah 53!!) My broody hen has been sitting on her eggs for 19 days. Lots of anticipation here. Once the chicks begin hatching, is there anything in particular that I need to do? I had it in mind to let them hatch, then move mama hen and chicks to an isolation pen that is all set and ready. I don't think she can stay where she is, since the chicks will just topple out of the laying box. Any advice is so very appreciated.

My broody hen is in final stages of the incubating period. Today I heard a chick. I moved my hen and the entire nest box into my secure cage. I set it up so the chicks can get back into the nest box. I did this having experience with a broody hen last year. The only thing I did last year was to remove the unhatched eggs and find out why they were not hatching. This time, there are three eggs in there that were layed in the nest during the second week. These I expect to put into the incubator to allow the hen to raise the hatched chicks. So another thing you may need to consider is if your other hens are laying fertile eggs in the nest during the last three weeks. This was the reason I moved the next box so early. But also you would want her to feel her next is secure and safe. So the sooner you move her the more time she will have to get accoustomed to the new space. If this is your first broody hen, you will want to take into consideration how the chicks will get back into the next box at night. I just used some 4x4 and 2x4 wood and made steps up to the entrance. Since I have active live chicks, I was able to use them to test their ability to get up the steps.

 

[R1V3R20NG]

I have a broody hen sitting on only one egg right now and is expected to hatch in roughly 10 days. We only have the space for one more chicken and this is also a test to see how this all works out. If she is successful we are gonna end up with a cross between a blue wheaten EE and a silver laced cochin. It looks like it is growing so far, but it is tough to tell through the shell because it is teal. We are also currently raising other chicks; we got them when they were 1-2 days old and two of them were just over a week when we got them.

 

[RodNTN]

I just had 16 chicks hatch last night and this morning. They'll run around (scratching, eating, drinking, etc.) and then they'll just drop and sleep for a few minutes. Then they're back at it, they're under 24 hrs old so I'm not surprised

 

[Kiki]

an answer to the first part of your question. what is normal for a newly hatched chick? let's talk for a minute about the physiology of the newly hatched chick. on day 17 and a half of incubation the embryo opens its mouth and starts to drink the amniotic fluid. this is because other nutrition available to it has been depleted to a point where it's of no help. when the chick hatches ,it does have a yolk Sac which is biologically reserved for development of the muscles and the GI tract, and thus the immune system . So we see that from an energy standpoint, the chick is needy when it hatches.
it is important for us to get nutrition into the chick as soon as possible. the GI tract undergoes tremendous development the first 7 Days of a chick's life. the sooner we can supplement the GI tract and help it mature as properly as possible the more it will positively affect the chicks health for the rest of its life.
The chick has several challenges to overcome upon hatching. it must learn how to digest carbohydrates in the feed. it must rapidly establish proper microbiome in the GI tract so that harmful pathogens don't become established there. it must adjust to the new outside environment in which it is placed.
The place to intervene to help the chick in these three challenges is the development of the GI tract . this is where we can give the chick an advantage in life . The proper and Rapid proper development of the GI tract and its biome affects all body systems especially the immune system, which is very important to the baby chick.
So how can we help? first of all, we can we can make sure that the chick receives food early so it does not use the yolk Sac for energy purposes.
We can use a nutritional supplement for the chick. it should be one which does not stress the development of the GI tract but instead enhances it.
Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutridrench is such a supplement because it does not need to be digested . it mainlines directly into the bloodstream . All natural.
given orally at the rate of one drop per chick.For needy chicks, repeated every 8 to 10 hours as needed until the chick is perky.
This supplement will give the chicks extra nutrition, enzymes, and vitamins needed the jump start the GI tract and to help restore any neediness in the immune system. A quality probiotic given orally is also a great idea as it will help establish proper biome in the GI tract.
So this is what you can do to have a robust, perky newly hatched chick. Poultry Nutridrench for nutrition and quick energy. a quality probiotic given orally to help establish a proper biome in the GI tract. quality Heat so the chick is at a proper temperature. and fresh water.
Do not bother with chick grit until the chick is 7 days old.
Http://www.nutridrench.com
As an addendum, Drench water grows nice healthy, robust chicks. if you wish, you can add one and a half teaspoons of Nutridrench per quart of water for the first two weeks of life. there's no need for electrolytes or apple cider vinegar in the water or any other supplement . Just Drench water, a quality chick feed , quality oral probiotic, fresh water , and chick grit after 7 days old
Best,
Karen

@Tesumph Have you seen this yet?

 

[Kiki]

an answer to the first part of your question. what is normal for a newly hatched chick? let's talk for a minute about the physiology of the newly hatched chick. on day 17 and a half of incubation the embryo opens its mouth and starts to drink the amniotic fluid. this is because other nutrition available to it has been depleted to a point where it's of no help. when the chick hatches ,it does have a yolk Sac which is biologically reserved for development of the muscles and the GI tract, and thus the immune system . So we see that from an energy standpoint, the chick is needy when it hatches.
it is important for us to get nutrition into the chick as soon as possible. the GI tract undergoes tremendous development the first 7 Days of a chick's life. the sooner we can supplement the GI tract and help it mature as properly as possible the more it will positively affect the chicks health for the rest of its life.
The chick has several challenges to overcome upon hatching. it must learn how to digest carbohydrates in the feed. it must rapidly establish proper microbiome in the GI tract so that harmful pathogens don't become established there. it must adjust to the new outside environment in which it is placed.
The place to intervene to help the chick in these three challenges is the development of the GI tract . this is where we can give the chick an advantage in life . The proper and Rapid proper development of the GI tract and its biome affects all body systems especially the immune system, which is very important to the baby chick.
So how can we help? first of all, we can we can make sure that the chick receives food early so it does not use the yolk Sac for energy purposes.
We can use a nutritional supplement for the chick. it should be one which does not stress the development of the GI tract but instead enhances it.
Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutridrench is such a supplement because it does not need to be digested . it mainlines directly into the bloodstream . All natural.
given orally at the rate of one drop per chick.For needy chicks, repeated every 8 to 10 hours as needed until the chick is perky.
This supplement will give the chicks extra nutrition, enzymes, and vitamins needed the jump start the GI tract and to help restore any neediness in the immune system. A quality probiotic given orally is also a great idea as it will help establish proper biome in the GI tract.
So this is what you can do to have a robust, perky newly hatched chick. Poultry Nutridrench for nutrition and quick energy. a quality probiotic given orally to help establish a proper biome in the GI tract. quality Heat so the chick is at a proper temperature. and fresh water.
Do not bother with chick grit until the chick is 7 days old.
Http://www.nutridrench.com
As an addendum, Drench water grows nice healthy, robust chicks. if you wish, you can add one and a half teaspoons of Nutridrench per quart of water for the first two weeks of life. there's no need for electrolytes or apple cider vinegar in the water or any other supplement . Just Drench water, a quality chick feed , quality oral probiotic, fresh water , and chick grit after 7 days old
Best,
Karen

@Lilmermaid9109 Here it is above.

 

[Lilmermaid9109]

@Lilmermaid9109 Here it is above.

Thank you! However, I have none of these things on hand, only starter crumbles

 

[Kiki]

Thank you! However, I have none of these things on hand, only starter crumbles

That's fine...she probably won't eat tonight anyways. My point is there is no reason to withhold feed and water...offer it asap.

The incubator's job is done...the chick hatched.