putting day olds under a broody.

[baldrick]

Hi all. My hubbards were due to hatch yesterday. One hatched on Friday night and she is still sitting. Ive checked and one egg has pipped but died, the other 2 are still being brooded but I assume are now unlikely to hatch. I have the offer of 2 chicks who hatched in an incy yesterday. 1/. If I get them and put them under her tonight is it too late given that her chick hatched friday night and these hatched Saturday? I know once she has abandoned the eggs it is too late but she hasnt yet.
2/ If I put day olds under her do I actually put them under her or just in the nest at night? 3/do I remove the eggs at the same time or leave them there til she has accepted the chicks? 3/ If I dont bother with day olds how long should I leave the eggs? Im a bit concerned about infection from the one that has pipped and died.
Thanks in advance.

[RichmondHens]

Firstly take the one that you know is definitely dead away immediately. There is no point in her brooding a dead egg. Secondly, if she is still sitting then she may know something is going on with the others. She will know when the time is right to abandon them. Thirdly, yes it is not too late to put day olds under her. As she already has a chick she should accept them. It is better to introduce them at night, as she will not move off them then. By the time morning comes she should treat them as her natural brood and you can leave them with her, do not remove them. Hens take a couple of days to count and recognise their chicks so if you get them under her tonight there shouldn't be a problem. Chances are if the other eggs are not hatched tomorrow and you cannot hear cheeping from within then you can remove them as it likely they are dead.

Make sure the hen has easy access to the chick crumb - a small bowl next to her so the older chicks do not have far to go for it is best. Then she can show them how to feed without having to get off the other eggs. Water can be further away so the newly hatched chicks don't sit in it and get chilled.

I dont know if you have any other broodies or an incubator, but what I sometimes do is if there is a big time difference between the first chicks hatching and the last, I take the unhatched eggs away from the hen to give her a chance to get up and stretch her legs and teach the older chicks how to feed and put the unhatched eggs under another broody or in the incy to give them the benefit of a little longer incubation. If they subsequently hatch I return them to the original broody when the chicks are dry and standing. You may of course not have this option.

[baldrick]

ok thanks RH. Have removed DIS who was smelly. The little egg tooth had come through then the poor fella had died. Suechooks (thanks sue) has popped out and candled. We have 1 clear and one who may or may not be DIS. Sue has pointed out that the eggs are very oval with no definate pointy end which may have a bearing on why one has died and why the other is not making much effort if it is still alive. I think as you say an incy is essential for future. Im going to look for a small one so I can have 4 under the hen and back ups in the incy. Dont want one poor bird going to slaughter on its own, so Im collecting 2 ixworths this evening and will pop em under after dark. I know it seems daft but my whole point was I wanted them to have a decent life and as stress free humane end as possible. My meat chick palace will be a bit lonely with just hen and 1 baby too! Firing the brooder up just in case she says no tho. This time its going in the shed not the house!

[baldrick]

ps chick food and water in a safe drinker in easy reach.

[baldrick]

2 ixworths in. She was too tired to even peck me in the dark. On pins again now. Hope she doesnt batter them. Will go and check soon.

[RichmondHens]

They'll be fine, don't worry. Check once more then leave her to it. She won't hurt them in the dark and by morning she should be used to their little noises and treat them as her own.

[baldrick]

she has taken to them! Looks like a 4 headed chicken except 3 of the heads are yellow!