First time poster from TN

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RoxStar Ranch

In the Brooder
Jun 4, 2024
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Hello and good morning, I’m Amy and I live in Jamestown TN. I have enjoyed this group of chicken lovers for years, and this is my first post.

I have a hen that’s been sitting on 10 eggs. I’ve never left her sit before and she’s been soooo broody that I thought I should let her try to hatch some chicks. 3 days ago, the first chick hatched, (june1) but I estimated the 21 days to be around June 6 or 7…so I was a bit confused on that one?
(there are 10 left and one is a guinea egg.)
I started dipping the chicks beak in water yesterday and I’ve sprinkled crumbles around the nesting box because I haven’t seen momma helping her so I hope that is proper to do.
My questions are:
Will the chick be ok without my help since momma is busy sitting on the others?
The Guinea egg (if fertilized) will take almost a week longer than the chickens to hatch, so can this scenario play out naturally? She may have to sit even longer for the guinea.
I hope I explained this well enough.
I feel like my situation is unique and could use some advice please 🤔
 

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Hello Amy 😀 I'm pleased that you have joined us

:welcome

Sorry I do not know about chick's, I've only ever had grown chickens. But I think you may have to keep a close eye and syringe feed if mama chicken isn't helping.

I recently heard of a mix for tiny chick's, egg yoke green tea probiotic and vitamins. Then fed with a needle less syringe. Only a tiny bit at a time.
 
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Hello Amy, and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
The chick should drink water now that you've shown her how. She should also eat the chick starter.
Intentionally creating a staggered hatch situation is never a good idea. I'm concerned that the first chick hatched so much earlier than you thought the eggs should hatch. Eventually, the mother will get off the nest to raise the chicks regardless if there are any more that are about to hatch. I doubt she's going to sit there for another week to try to hatch a guinea egg that hasn't yet hatched. It will be abandoned.
 
Hi @RoxStar Ranch :frow

Newly hatch chicks can go without food for up to 48 hours because they slowly absorb their yolk sack.

I hatch some of my chickens in a homemade incubator when my hens aren't broody. Some hatch a day or so before the others. I don't add food or water for 48 hours to allow them to dry. (You want to keep the incubator closed to retain heat and moisture).

Even when my hens are broody and sit on eggs, the mother stays on the remaining eggs that didn't hatch yet for a bit longer. The little chicks that hatched pretty much stay under the mother hen. After about a day or so, she interacts with the hatched chicks much more, teaching them to scratch for food (and make a mess, LOL).

Welcome!
 
Hi Amy, welcome to BYC. I'm in Texas, but have a few friends up your way, and lived there for quite a while. It's gorgeous there.
Is the hen in a contained and safe area? Where other chickens can't bother the chick, and the chick can't get too far from mama? If so, all should go well. Don't put the feed or water too close or mama will eat and drink without getting off the nest, and then she will soil her eggs. Keep it just far enough away, that the chick can dart over and back to mama, but not so close that mama can stretch her neck to get it.
 

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