When do newly hatched chicks start drinking and eating?

[mommom4]

New chicks due anytime. Once hatched, when do they start eating and drinking? New at this! We are letting the momma do the job and she has been faithful sitting on them all this time. When she does get up another sits faithfully for her.

 

[al6517]

The mom will take care of all that, they do a much better job at it than their meddling human caretakers do when we hatch in incubators LOL. They will be just fine, I realy enjoy watching the broody Mom do her thing with the new ones.

AL

 

[scoopi321]

so when do newly hatched chicks start to scratch and eat

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Chicks hatch with 2-3 days worth of sustenance available to them from the yolk they have been feeding off of while developing in the egg. This allows for the hen to remain on the nest to finish hatching the clutch w/out having to leave the nest to care for those that have already hatched -- and is why it is possible for day old chicks to be shipped through the mail without needing food or water in the box with them.

 

[JeanR]

Almost as soon as they are dry and walking about. Have waterer and feeder ready. (I just put some Starter crumbles on the floor beside the waterer for first "learn to eat"). Actually, the Mother will show them both and talk to them. It is instinct to eat and drink as soon as able. Just have everything ready, right by the hen and chicks.
AND have a separate place to that mother and babies OR the other hens may mess things up, trying to take them, sometimes works, but hope it does not make loss of chick or chicks. We learn about our individual hens--and just to be safe, I always remove nest box with the setting hen and her eggs before hatch time, to their own space, ready to go when they hatch--and insure success. Move at night and keep her box covered until she doesn't want to go back to the place it originally was located! It is such a great experience--EVERY time, and keeps old people young!

 

[beaglex3]

we had one chick hatch out this morning. another is pecking its way out, and a 3rd is due to hatch in 2 days. a week ago i tried to move the broody and the eggs to a separate area but the mother refused to sit on the eggs so i put her back in the coop with everyone else. the nesting box they are in is about 4 feet off the floor. once all eggs are hatched, can i move her to a new nesting box on the floor of the coop so the chicks can safely get out and eat/drink? will the mama stay in the box with her chicks if i do this? we have 25 other hens living in this coop. (we have had chickens for 6 years, but this is our first attempt at hatching out eggs.)

 

[Bellowood]

What about chicks from an incubator? I have a single one that I just moved to the brooder box. My first hatch. have food and water in the box, but don't know if it will know what to do without me helping?

 

[BullChick]

What about chicks from an incubator? I have a single one that I just moved to the brooder box. My first hatch. have food and water in the box, but don't know if it will know what to do without me helping?

They really will figure it out. I don’t recommend dipping beaks because you are more likely to hurt its neck, and get water up its nose than do anything helpful.

 

[Bellowood]

They really will figure it out. I don’t recommend dipping beaks because you are more likely to hurt its neck, and get water up its nose than do anything helpful.

Thank you!!