What's next?

[Speed]

Ok my broody hen has been sitting on a clutch of 6 eggs. One of the eggs hatched today and the other 5 while be hatching through the next few days. What's next? I brought the 1st chick in the house, I have it in a box with a lamp for heat. Food? Water? I heard I have to squeeze the poop out of it, why and how do I do this?. Thanks for any help you all can provide.

 

[Lisa0318]

usually we leave the chicks with mom and she will take care of it , as for food they can stay with out it for the first two days until mom decides when its a good time to feed.

 

[mstricer]

Why did you take the baby from the mommy. It's so much easier for her to then us. Good luck with the others.

 

[Speed]

Quote:
Momma is still in the main coop, we tried moving her but she just kept going back to the main coop. We did close off her nesting box (it's big enough for 2 full grown chickens) to keep the other hens from laying eggs near her as she was stealing them. I wasn't sure it was the safest place to keep the baby chick. I do have a smaller coop I could put her in but don't have the heat source available like I do in my house. I'd have to put up a small fence so she had her own yard but it wouldn't take more than an hour. Should I put the baby back with Momma?

 

[Lisa0318]

Quote:
Momma is still in the main coop, we tried moving her but she just kept going back to the main coop. We did close off her nesting box (it's big enough for 2 full grown chickens) to keep the other hens from laying eggs near her as she was stealing them. I wasn't sure it was the safest place to keep the baby chick. I do have a smaller coop I could put her in but don't have the heat source available like I do in my house. I'd have to put up a small fence so she had her own yard but it wouldn't take more than an hour. Should I put the baby back with Momma?

I think it would be better of with mom.

 

[Speed]

I had a smaller coop that houses about 4-5 birds. I was going to get some bantams and let them use that coop but change of plans. I scrubbed it all down with bleach and let it air dry this morning, it didn't take long to dry cause it was so hot out. I threw in some shavings on the floor, hay in the nesting boxes and made a little chicken wire run off the side (for later use). I put Rocky (momma) and her 2 newly hatched chicks ( she hatched another this morning) and her 4 remaining eggs in this coop. Now she is separated from the rest of the flock to raise these little chicks.

 

[speckledhen]

Squeeze the poop out of it? Nope. That is for vent sexing. Don't attempt that or you could injure the baby.

 

[sourland]

Please, do not squeeze the poop out of it!!!!

I'd recommend letting the hen do her job.

 

[Speed]

Quote:
we let them do what they need to do.

 

[magicpigeon]

Are all the chicks together? Is the mother taking care of them? Don't try to sqeeze out the poop, you could damage the chick.