[rosie14]

Hi, all my chicks were supposed to hatch tuesday evening, we had a premature hatch (perfect and full grown but found dead under mama) found on monday morning   So we're a few days over now which is fine but I am thinking nothing else is going to happen as when I candled on day 6 there were only 2 viable (or so I thought). I can't hear any cheeping or scratching from inside the remaining 3 eggs and my hen is getting very weak as she is eating so little, even though I have been lifting her out am and pm. Shall I call it a day and remove the eggs? I was wondering if I could get hold of some day olds and put them under her she'd foster them or is that a crazy idea? Thanks in advance

[Casey76]

I'd still leave them until the weekend, just to be on the safe side

At this time of year I think it would be quite difficult to source day olds from a reputable breeder as this season is over, and the season to produce POL for next spring hasn't started yet.

[rosie14]

Hi, well it's bad news followed by good. One of the 3 remaining eggs had begun to form at some point but died early, one was infertile and the 3rd one I cracked into had a fully formed dead chick in with a 10 pence sized bit of yolk (larger yolk remaining than the one that came on day 19/20 I discovered on monday am) Such a shame  I opened them before I received your advice 

I sourced some 3 day old chicks a few miles away and brought home 3 to foster and a heat lamp just in case and so far so good, fingers crossed it remains this way. I presume it's fairly likely to be successful as she accepted them straight away but??

[Helenaj]

If she seems to have accepted the chicks, leave her alone, but obviously keep a close eye on her during the day to ensure that she really has bonded with them. Hopefully now she will start to eat and drink normally - make sure there's plenty of chick crumb available (she'll eat whilst showing the chicks how to) and provide a chick drinker or a shallow saucer with some pebbles in so that there is no chance of a chick falling into the water and drowning.

hope everything goes okay for you!

[rosie14]

Hi, thanks so much for your reply. I have done exactly what you said but I am itching to check them under her!!  I have resisted but should I check them plus lift her off as she's not been off them since I put them under her at midday? Should I do it at dusk or just leave her to it? I'm thinking leave her to it but I'm just a bit worried as she has got quite weak the last few days even though today is only day 23 of her set on eggs she was broody about 5 days prior. She seems to have been sustained on her fave food of tomoatoes these past few days and a bit of grass, she has hand fed only a couple of grains of mixed corn that's all. When is she likely to bring them out of her broody coop? iit's a large rabbit hutch in large rabbit run (!) in the corner of the lawned garden.

[bantam novice]

Hello Rosie,
I put day old chicks under my broody and she took a day or two to lead them out of the house.  She needs to get used to them.  I agree with Helenaj here.  Don't disturb her (I know I had to sit on my hands  ) but keep a close eye.  My chicks seem to be doing fine now at about a month on and have bonded well with mother broody.

[rosie14]

Hello bantam novice, 2 of the chicks are bantams  one is a Lavender Bantam Orpington and one a Black Bantam Orpington and the third is a Gold Laced Orpington just like her foster mummy, had to get one like her at least, although not an all over beautiful lacing  like hers showing just now!

I have peeped (not touched!!) in on her and the littluns are under her at her rear is that normal? I can recall the bantams my father hatched when I was a child under their mothers' wings or am I just remembering straight? It was like 25 years or so ago now!!

[rosie14]

Hmmm just heard some loud cheeping so went and looked in on her and the larger regular sized Orpie chick was at the feeder 1/2 a foot away and she was pecking at the little bantam Orpie who had emerged from under her  I got the bigger Orpie chick and put it near her rear and it went under her no probs and the comotion this chick made caused the little Orpie chick to hide and take cover too lol! Do you think she's got the hump because they're venturing out before mama has said it's ok? In her head I guess they're new hatchlings from today and not the 3 day old experienced and worldy wise (ha ha!) chicks they are indeed behaving like? It's like she's happy when they're under her and that's that hmmm I hope that's all it is what do experienced chicken mama's think? Any thoughts/advice welcome. I hope we don't wake to 3 dead chicks or anything awfull like that and this is just a parenting blip/disagreement!

[bantam novice]

Hello Rosie,
sometimes a mother hen will give a gentle little peck to encourage the chick to get back underneath her.  Good luck and let us know how things are tomorrow morning. 

[Helenaj]

As bantam novice says - Mum is probably scolding them for coming out too early!

[rosie14]

thanks ladies, so nice to have some sound advice and reassurance from those in the know 

I went out 1/2 an hour ago to 'shut them up' and could hear mum 'talking' about me aproaching in that way that they do lol and the chicks all sounded underneath her as I could hear dull chirps! I'm feeling positive and I hope her always chilled out and fab. temperament continues into her newly found role of motherhood and she takes them on as her own....I'm not wishing my sleep away but I am eagerly awaiting morning to come!

[rosie14]

Morning came and I found 3 cute fluffy chicks with mama still. Hooray. I was a bit concerned that the little ones hadn't eaten or drunk yet as they are 4 days old now and used to eating and drinking as they wished in their artificial brooder (I made a pattern in the chick crumb so I could tell if they ate) so got mum out and popped them the foot away from their nest where their food and water dishes were.

They sure seemed hungry but not so thirsty!  The little lavender chick didn't seem 100% OK, but not as spritely and sitting rather than standing. Mama hen had done a disgusting poop in the nest so cleared it out whilst she ate. She ate alot more than previously which is much better-she obv. feels better now and visably perkier now she has some chicks to mother! Mama went in on her own but the chicks didn't really go to her so gently herded them in her direction (not sure if I should have done this or not but it was 7 am and damp and pretty cold) she scalded and pecked at them until they had gone under her and they cheeped loudly in protest.

An hour later I went and peeped through on them and could only hear 2 chicks or so I thought so lifted  the wing closest to me so not to disturb her from the nest and there sure enough was a dead lavender chick  partly squashed under her-gutted. My feelings were already it wasn't totally 'right' so whether it just died or she squashed it. I'll never know. Anyway these things happen wont dwell on it the others seem well and in good health and mama is happy. I'm just impatient now waiting for her to come and bring them out, maybe tommorrow with a bit of luck. I will lift her I think later once again late this afternoon to ensure the chicks eat and drink as they are too young to only eat once every 24 hours surely, as like I say they are 4 days old now.

[Helenaj]

Rosie14, so sorry to hear about the chick, but they are so frail at the start, it's inevitable that some won't make it.
Don't worry about them not eating too much at the moment, they are just getting their bearings and know where the food is, but their main concern at the moment is bonding with Mum. For the first couple of days all they will do is sleep in the main and as they get a bit stronger (and braver!) will venture further away from Mum and only go back to her when they are cold or she calls an alarm. When Mum goes to eat she will take them with her and show them how to scratch about etc.
I know it's very tempting to keep checking on them, bu try not to do it too much unless you see there is a definate issue, as the bonding process it very fragile at first and can be easily broken.

[rosie14]

Thankyou  yes you're right re bonding and disturbing which is why they probably never ran back to her for warmth or protection. Plus when they go near her because they've ventured out without permission (with my interfering!) they get a telling off and a peck or 10 until they've hearded back under her 

I was just worried they were used to eating as they wished and didn't want them getting dehydrated, weak and compromised in health in any way as the 3 days they can live without eating (from hatching) are now over. Mama never got off of the nest even when she was first broody on no eggs in the beginning so followed advice here to lift her and kind of stuck with it plus the last few days or so she was getting visably weak and wobbly on her feet. She is only about 8 months old so maybe she hadn't stored enough reserves but again?? There was a lot of distressed cheeping 1/2 hour ago and the tiny bantam chick was properly stuck to her fluffy under feathers under her wing, I presume it was from the chicks bottom because the bedding was totally clean this morning! I don't remember being this worried with my newborns but maybe I have just forgotten lol!

A few question please....
Should I leave her and trust she will indeed get herself up to eat and drink?

I put the food and water dishes under cover in the hutch which is about a foot away from the nest is it okay there?

thanks

[rosie14]

Went out this morning about 7am to see to the hens and let mama hen out. I opened both front sections of the rabbit hutch today for mama and chicks (make shift broody coop inside large rabbit run) and after a short period the baby Gold lace Orpington ventured out. Mama hen after a short while followed, then so did bantam Black Orpington chick. Just wonderfull to see :0) The Gold Laced chick seems so bold and confident and even scratched about before mama hen came out! Even ate a few bits of mixed corn - I figure it managed to ok so this is ok it that right, need I get grit for chicks or is it in the crumb? They are 5 days now. The little black Bantam one never even tried to but both ate plenty of chick crumb, and it is fairly small in comparison to it's fostered sibling.

They seemed to stay out on the grass so I took the opportunity to move the make shift brooder and run, as in places the grass has got quite long it's been a few weeks now and I've not moved it before as didn't want to risk disturbing mums broody space. They are still all out now several hours later and under mama peeking out from time to time. I just want to watch them the whole time, better than watching the tv or playing 'Operation' with the children for the millionth time this morning for sure!! I figure they'll follow mum in if and when she decides to go and that's that now.