:D Hatching!!!

[RedThorn]

OMG 1 hatched 1 pipped so far on day 20!

Chuffed but now what????

How do they know where to drink and where to eat???

Water with pebbles there and grit and crumb in a few minutes...

EDIT *shouts HELP!!!*

[chicken slave]

stop panicing (well don't let people know you are anyway)
dip there beaks in the water being careful not to cover there nostrils, sprinkle a little crumb on the floor of the brooder and enjoy watching them. They will get on with it and feed when they are hungry, I have only ever had 1 that didn't feed but it had a beak problem. I have hatched over 200 earlier this year so fair odds that they know what they are doing.

[RedThorn]

cheers for that hunting around like a loon as cannot find the crumb we bought on the weekend!

[SuzyB]

Oh how exciting!!! but where are the photos??

[Bramble-Poultry]

RT - day 20 is quite normal.

I sprinkle the chick crumb from a height so it makes a noise - they always go and investigate and peck at it. They probably won't eat for 24 -48 hrs anyways so no probs there. Gently dip beaks in water only the tip and they will get the message - again they may not drink the first couple of times you do it - once one has got the nack all the others follw suit!

[RedThorn]

Found it!

[RedThorn]

Here's the first pics ... OH emailed the pic of it in the incy to me at work

[Bramble-Poultry]

sweet - well done RT

[Nicos]

WOW!!!...wonderful news!!!!

I'm sure a little tipple of something is in order tonight to celebrate?????
More piccies please!!!!!

[MaureenHall]

Oh I love it No matter how many times you see a chick hatch, or a newly hatched chick it's like magic!! Welcome to the world little one

[vicky]

Ahhhh! Cute! Lovely little things!

[FionaH]

Very cute RT

[RedThorn]

1 more almost ready to come out, and 1 freshly pipped!

The hatched chick has had a tiny bit to drink too

[RichmondHens]

I find stabbing a pencil into the crumb to simulate pecking movements and sounds interests the chicks enough to make their own efforts. As Bramble says once one does it the rest will follow. They don't generally feed properly though for 24 hours or so after hatching. But keep doing the pencil thing, they will soon get the idea.

Congrats by the way!

[RedThorn]

second chick hatched! looks like another yellow one. Does anyone know what colour Blackrock chicks and amberlinks chicks are?