July 2022 Hatch-A-Long

[Waterfaery]

There's something wrong with one of my chicks. I've got a post about it here, if anyone can help?

 

[WIchickMama]

I lost the last baby chick from my hatch overnight-it barely opened it's eyes or walked yesterday at all after a 10 am hatch. I had tried some sugar water and it took a couple sips but would just lay. Found it dead under mama this morning---the rest (5) are doing great!

Question--when can I let mama outside to dust bathe and eat properly? 2 were born Friday, 1 Sat and then 2 yesterday morning. Can I just grab her out of their brooder spot in the coop and let her run free for a bit or won't she do that? Also, when do I open up the brooder and let them out? I am planning on just removing one of the HC sides but leaving the other 3 for security feelings for the first week they are allowed to roam. Thoughts? We are gone all day on this upcoming Sat so I won't be around to watch them but I feel that 7 days is a long time for mama to not be integrated with the rest of the flock. The other hens are doing great, they come up and look and listen but have hardly spent any time in the coop other than to check in once and awhile and lay. First time mom here-thanks!

 

[Waterfaery]

I lost the last baby chick from my hatch overnight-it barely opened it's eyes or walked yesterday at all after a 10 am hatch. I had tried some sugar water and it took a couple sips but would just lay. Found it dead under mama this morning---the rest (5) are doing great!

Question--when can I let mama outside to dust bathe and eat properly? 2 were born Friday, 1 Sat and then 2 yesterday morning. Can I just grab her out of their brooder spot in the coop and let her run free for a bit or won't she do that? Also, when do I open up the brooder and let them out? I am planning on just removing one of the HC sides but leaving the other 3 for security feelings for the first week they are allowed to roam. Thoughts? We are gone all day on this upcoming Sat so I won't be around to watch them but I feel that 7 days is a long time for mama to not be integrated with the rest of the flock. The other hens are doing great, they come up and look and listen but have hardly spent any time in the coop other than to check in once and awhile and lay. First time mom here-thanks!

I'm sorry to hear about your poor little chick.

I've never had a mama chicken hen raise chicks but I hope to be doing that in the future so I'm interested to see what others say about that.

I did have peahens hatch peachicks and they brought them out and about with them from day one, as soon as the chicks could walk enough to get out of the nest. They kept them close, sat on them to warm them wherever they happened to be, taught them what everything was and brought them back into the nest area regularly for naps. I think the hen would know best so if you open it up and leave it up to her decide, that would probably be the most natural thing. But as I said, I've never had chicken chicks with a mama hen so others more experienced might know better.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I lost the last baby chick from my hatch overnight-it barely opened it's eyes or walked yesterday at all after a 10 am hatch. I had tried some sugar water and it took a couple sips but would just lay. Found it dead under mama this morning---the rest (5) are doing great!

Question--when can I let mama outside to dust bathe and eat properly? 2 were born Friday, 1 Sat and then 2 yesterday morning. Can I just grab her out of their brooder spot in the coop and let her run free for a bit or won't she do that? Also, when do I open up the brooder and let them out? I am planning on just removing one of the HC sides but leaving the other 3 for security feelings for the first week they are allowed to roam. Thoughts? We are gone all day on this upcoming Sat so I won't be around to watch them but I feel that 7 days is a long time for mama to not be integrated with the rest of the flock. The other hens are doing great, they come up and look and listen but have hardly spent any time in the coop other than to check in once and awhile and lay. First time mom here-thanks!

Awe I'm so sorry....I've never had a moma hen raise babies so I have no idea.
Hopefully all the others and mom will do well!

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

How's this lil one doin? Did u help it on out?

Wound up helping after about 28 hours. The membrane had totally dried out. It only pipped and that was it. I removed shell and had to help get it out of some membrane too. It is totally fine now so I’m thankful n

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Wound up helping after about 28 hours. The membrane had totally dried out. It only pipped and that was it. I removed shell and had to help get it out of some membrane too. It is totally fine now so I’m thankful n

Awesome! I've had several the last few hatches that did that! So strange and so many concerns when helping...but as @LadiesAndJane always says...if external pip and NO clicking sounds when you listen closely, then proceed helping with caution after that many hours.
That advice has served me very well on saving 3 lil babies!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Bad news everyone....Little Anastasia didn't make it. She had started pooing on herself and I finally realized she couldn't bend one of her legs (it would bend, I just don't think she could control it), and she started to go downhill a bit. So, I made the decision to cull her. It was very sad and we (DH and DD) had a little funeral in the backyard for her. Poor little baby. I really tried my best. I've never tried so hard to save a chick and I'm really bummed she didn't make it. It's ok though...still got 2 Lavenders and 1 Split, so I should be able to make more beautiful babies in the future (unless they're all pullets or all cockerels, in which case I'll cry). Total of 11 from this hatch and 14 from my first hatch, so I just added 25 beautiful birds to my flock! Still a pretty good end result, I think.

I’m a bit late in responding but I didn’t want to miss offering my condolences. You tried everything with this little one. Sometimes they just aren’t meant for this world. I’m so sorry she didn’t make it.

 

[junior67]

I lost the last baby chick from my hatch overnight-it barely opened it's eyes or walked yesterday at all after a 10 am hatch. I had tried some sugar water and it took a couple sips but would just lay. Found it dead under mama this morning---the rest (5) are doing great!

Question--when can I let mama outside to dust bathe and eat properly? 2 were born Friday, 1 Sat and then 2 yesterday morning. Can I just grab her out of their brooder spot in the coop and let her run free for a bit or won't she do that? Also, when do I open up the brooder and let them out? I am planning on just removing one of the HC sides but leaving the other 3 for security feelings for the first week they are allowed to roam. Thoughts? We are gone all day on this upcoming Sat so I won't be around to watch them but I feel that 7 days is a long time for mama to not be integrated with the rest of the flock. The other hens are doing great, they come up and look and listen but have hardly spent any time in the coop other than to check in once and awhile and lay. First time mom here-thanks!

I had my 3 Mama's open to go out the whole time. Normally they will hang in the coop with the chicks a couple days then bring them out. So I would open it now and if she feels ready she will bring them out.

 

[WIchickMama]

I had my 3 Mama's open to go out the whole time. Normally they will hang in the coop with the chicks a couple days then bring them out. So I would open it now and if she feels ready she will bring them out.

Ok that sounds good, I will open it up this afternoon. I worry about them getting in and out of the coop I might have to do some altering to the steps. Thanks!

 

[junior67]

Ok that sounds good, I will open it up this afternoon. I worry about them getting in and out of the coop I might have to do some altering to the steps. Thanks!

my babies took a couple days to figure out the ramp so I had to pick them up and put them on the ramp and guide them up it for a few days. Was interesting since I would try to go out around the time mom went in (she always took them in much earlier than dusk) or watch on my camera. Well she would go in and as I was trying to gather them to show them the ramp she would come back out as they were half way up so she could try to get them to follow her and go in....... Which was great but then they would all just jump off the ramp into the run and I would have to start over again. Was an interesting few
days. LMAO!