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Author Topic: Late chick  (Read 2258 times)

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Late chick
« on: June 05, 2017, 03:19:43 pm »
We had 6 eggs under our broody. 2 hatched on day 20 and 2 late on day 21, the 2 early ones were very active.

On day 22 mum got off the nest to poo and show the others how to eat, there were two eggs left but she went back into the house and sat on them again. 3 hours later she was outside and the eggs were cold. We moved them to the incubator but we saw that one egg had a large bit of shell missing and the bit of the chick that was visible (back) was cold and unmoving. I think mum stepped on it. We peeled the shell back but the chick was dead. We popped the other egg in and it hatched this morning (Day 24).

What do I do with it? We have left it in the incubator to dry off, it is pecking at the ground, do I put crumb in the incubator? Once it is dry do we take it to mum and try to slip it in with the others? Or do we steal one of mum's babies and rear 2 chicks artificially?

We do have a heat lamp, and a dog crate we could use to house them.

Any advice would be very welcome!

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

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Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Late chick
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2017, 03:49:40 pm »
We've had this happen in the past and put the chick under a heat lamp with chick crumbs and water nearby until just about dark, then slipped it under the broody's wing.  The hen has always accepted it, but I am always braced for an attack by a hen that can count!

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Late chick
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2017, 03:56:22 pm »
At what point do you slip it under [member=27063]Marches Farmer[/member] ? The chick will be 12 hours at midnight. I've given it a bottle cap of water and crumb in the incubator so hopefully that's ok.

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Late chick
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2017, 04:34:04 pm »
I pop it under the first night of its life.  The hen will still be sorting them out at this stage and the others won't be so far advanced that she can tell the difference.  There's always a risk a hen will turn on a chick, even one she's raised right from the beginning, but it's never happened to any of ours.  It may be that it has a problem which caused it to hatch late, in which case it may not survive anyway. 

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Late chick
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2017, 04:39:23 pm »
Ok we will dispatch it if we need to. So far though it has pecked at the chick crumb and had some water and is running around the small incubator looking ready and rearing to go! It does seem to tire out easily, but I've been putting that down to it being less than 5 hours old?

My husband did note one of the eggs that colour was peeking out from under her one day and marked it with pencil but it rubbed off. We did see an egg that colour peeking out a few times after that so it may be that it just wasn't kept as warm as the others?

Will slip it in after dark tonight and keep an eye and ear out to make sure mum doesn't react, then cross everything we have that the chick is still alive in the morning. Thank you

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

Dave C

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Teesdale, Co Durham
Re: Late chick
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2017, 07:38:31 pm »
It should be fine Dans, I've added extra chicks to a broody upto a week after she hatched hers and all was fine, depends how motherly she is.

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Late chick
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2017, 02:55:40 pm »
Thanks guys.

We popped the chick in that night and mum accepted it. All doing well.

Dans

ps if the link works, here is a picture

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18952707_1894536940821256_307364878197005445_n.jpg?oh=f53629423b680291e1942ac177055bb8&oe=59AA72C8
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Late chick
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2017, 03:40:20 pm »
Which is the Newcomer?

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Late chick
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2017, 03:45:42 pm »
The black one just a little away from the others. Has a slightly smalier yellow dot on its head to the other black one.

Think we imprinted as it kept coming to say hello when we went to check on them. Moving them all to an outside coop with some more room this weekend so should get some better pictures.

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

 

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