when will she bring the chicks out?

**Nicos** · 02-05-2010, 08:58 AM

They don't need feed for the first 2-3 days- so by day 3 they should be eating.
I've always dipped the chick's beaks in a tiny drop of water by day 2 ( mind the nostrils)

I just sprinkled crumb in the nest box once the last chick hatched and added a ramakin with about 1/4" water.
Mom will be needing a poo today- so she'll be wanting to leave her nest- can they easily get back in again after their first outing?
Mine hung around near the coop until about day 5 when she took them off into the field.
They do get chill very soon- so if it's her first clutch make sure she's keeping an eye on them. I lost a couple last year in the Spring -cos the mom hadn't kept them warm enough when they were on walk about.

Take lots of piccies!!!!

**jessmorris** · 02-05-2010, 08:11 PM

Hi,
I'm an inexperienced hen keeper who's bantams have hacthed some eggs. After a week I moved my modern game and her 4 mille fleur chicks to a small house and outside run. they all went outside straight away - when its cold the mother hides them in her wings. They still prefer to be outside even when its blowy, rather than in the house. My dutch x silkie was more secretive with her maran chicks as she is not so tame, and din't bring them out for a few days....

**jimred** · 03-05-2010, 09:14 AM

We have moved her to the outside run now with a nestbox with a roof on, but she still wont bring the chicks out, will the chicks come out when they get hungry?

should i lift them out and give them a drink?

lot more stressy the hatching in a incubator

thanks

**elizajay** · 04-05-2010, 09:42 AM

I have always left it to the hen to decide what to do and haven't worried at all! My hens seem to know best and have been fantastic, protective mothers.

**RichmondHens** · 04-05-2010, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by jimred View Post

my chook has hatched 2 chicks, she has been sitting on them for over 24 hours.
My question is when will she bring them out for food & water?

Have the others hatched yet? She won't get off the unhatched eggs until they have hatched, or she thinks they are not going to. Put the water and food right close up to her, so she can feed and drink and encourage the already hatched chicks, while still keeping the unhatched eggs warm.

When I have a big difference in hatching time between first and last chicks, I sometimes remove the unhatched eggs to my small incubator, allowing the hen to move around with the older chicks in order that they can feed. Then when the other ones have hatched and dried off, I return them to the hen, usually at night. Then in the morning all of them come out together.

**jimred** · 04-05-2010, 04:59 PM

i think it just me, shes doing fine now, thanks all, for the tips and advice

Originally posted by RichmondHens View Post

Have the others hatched yet? She won't get off the unhatched eggs until they have hatched, or she thinks they are not going to. Put the water and food right close up to her, so she can feed and drink and encourage the already hatched chicks, while still keeping the unhatched eggs warm.

When I have a big difference in hatching time between first and last chicks, I sometimes remove the unhatched eggs to my small incubator, allowing the hen to move around with the older chicks in order that they can feed. Then when the other ones have hatched and dried off, I return them to the hen, usually at night. Then in the morning all of them come out together.

**jessmorris** · 04-05-2010, 06:05 PM

I think the mother will know when to bring them outside...some hens abandon eggs that haven't hatched with the others, my modern game did. She had three on day 23 and one on day 24. Once this was 24hours old she left the other egg in the nest and 'slept' on the floor with her babies.....

**jimred** · 05-05-2010, 12:31 PM

Unfortunately,she attached the chicks killing all of them but 2, one i destroyed as she had pecked out her eyes the other is doing OK and settled in with the other chicks hatched in the incy.

any idea why she would of done this?, this was her first hatch, she now back in the main coop still broody.

di · 05-05-2010, 12:42 PM

Oh no Jim

How old is she?
Just after(

)we sat our Buff Orp on some eggs I read that sometimes younger birds don't quite have what it takes to become a good mum.I don't know if this could include killing them

**RichmondHens** · 05-05-2010, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by jimred View Post

Unfortunately,she attached the chicks killing all of them but 2, one i destroyed as she had pecked out her eyes the other is doing OK and settled in with the other chicks hatched in the incy.

any idea why she would of done this?, this was her first hatch, she now back in the main coop still broody.

Sorry to hear it Jim. Don't know why she would have done this. Did you actually see her do it or were they dead when you found them? If the latter it is possible it was a rat, not her. If it was her, I wouldn't risk sitting her again, even if she does go broody.

**jimred** · 05-05-2010, 08:17 PM

I saw her from the window, pecking the chicks around the head, i didn't have much luck with her really, found her sitting in the wrong nest box at day 19.

my first attempt as nature intended, she is still broody, everytime one of the other girl lays she sits on the egg!
Thanks for your help, jim

Originally posted by RichmondHens View Post

Sorry to hear it Jim. Don't know why she would have done this. Did you actually see her do it or were they dead when you found them? If the latter it is possible it was a rat, not her. If it was her, I wouldn't risk sitting her again, even if she does go broody.

**Bramble-Poultry** · 05-05-2010, 08:34 PM

sounds like she is either very inexperienced (do you want to give her the chance to do it again??) or she had a fright. sometimes animals (rabbits especially) will kill their own young when they feel threatened so that the predator doesnt get them. They would rather loose the chick, knowing that they could have more, rather than letting the chicks become a meal for the predator.

However, as it was unlikely that she was going to eat the chicks this does seem strange.

Just a thought, reading above it says that you found her on the wrong nest on day 19? was she still brooding with the rest of the layers? perhaps she was unsettled because of them. I tend to move broodies into a run and coop of their own with some peace and quiet, Also, if she got off the nest on day 19, this is when the chicks should start to pip and the humidity should be higher. If she has got off the eggs there is a chance that they got chilled and suffered damage. If she percieved a damaged chick she wuld remove it from the clutch as it would not grow well and attract the attentions of predators. Better to lose one chick that all of them.
As richmond says, i wouldnt riskletting her sit again.

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