How Soon After A Chick Hatches Should It Be Fed

[libby66 0]

I have a hen that with her first round didn't feed her first chick that hatched and it died.Then two days later threw her eggs out the nest which had chicks in some of the eggs.Well between 5.00pm and 5.30pm today the first of her second round chicks hatched and still hasn't been feed.How long can i leave the chick before intervening and giving him a feed? fostering is'nt an option as all other pairs are on eggs and aren't due to hatch until 1/11 and other chicks are aged between 3 and 4 weeks old So any help most appreciated.

[GenericBlue 0]

I have a hen that with her first round didn't feed her first chick that hatched and it died.Then two days later threw her eggs out the nest which had chicks in some of the eggs.Well between 5.00pm and 5.30pm today the first of her second round chicks hatched and still hasn't been feed.How long can i leave the chick before intervening and giving him a feed? fostering is'nt an option as all other pairs are on eggs and aren't due to hatch until 1/11 and other chicks are aged between 3 and 4 weeks old So any help most appreciated.

 

up to 8 hours for a strong chick sometimes twelve but id feed before night then leave with her just bit yogurt plain

[Squeak_Crumble 0]

Feel the other hens to see if they have crop milk.

[libby66 0]

I have a hen that with her first round didn't feed her first chick that hatched and it died.Then two days later threw her eggs out the nest which had chicks in some of the eggs.Well between 5.00pm and 5.30pm today the first of her second round chicks hatched and still hasn't been feed.How long can i leave the chick before intervening and giving him a feed? fostering is'nt an option as all other pairs are on eggs and aren't due to hatch until 1/11 and other chicks are aged between 3 and 4 weeks old So any help most appreciated.

 

up to 8 hours for a strong chick sometimes twelve but id feed before night then leave with her just bit yogurt plain

 

 

Hi GB thanks for answering,i don't have any plain yoghurt but i have handrearing formula can i use this?

 

I finally found Kaz article about caring for chicks in the nest and i can use handrearing formula so i'll give it a couple more hours and if it's still not feed i'll do it.

Edited October 20, 2010 by libby66

[**KAZ** 0]

Feel the other hens to see if they have crop milk.

 

What do you mean by

feeling for crop milk

??

[libby66 0]

okay so i fed the chick again at 6.30 this morning and it now has an empty crop, it is crying for food should i feed it again or give the hen more time to work it out

 

and how long do i keep on feeding it before seeing if i can foster it to another breeder i know who has younger chicks than me. Sorry to be a pest with the questions

 

but this is my first time breeding show budgies and never encountered this problem with my pet types before.

[**KAZ** 0]

If its crying to be fed the mother should take notice and feed it. If not, of course, you have to make decisions........feed it yourself and foster.

[libby66 0]

Thanks Kaz,i'll feed it and foster

[robyn 0]

Hi Libby, just wondered if you have more fertile eggs in nest? If so can you post, just to see if hen decides to feed any new chicks or not.

[libby66 0]

Hi Robyn,she had another chick hatch yesterday sometime between me fostering the first chick and me doing a late afternoon nestbox check.This one didn't get fed either so has been fostered as well,she has 3 more eggs to go so i'll keep you updated as to weather they get fed or not.

[libby66 0]

okay latest update: Yesterday chick 4 hatched and again wasn't fed by this morning so i have fed it and it has been fostered to a hen at the lovely Sue's house.She has lent me a 4-5 day old chick to see if that will stimulate her to feed.

 

Chick 1 fostered but died

Chick 2 didn't survive hatching

Chick 3 fostered

Chick 4 fostered

with 2 eggs still to hatch

 

So fingers crossed she starts to feed this borrowed chick.

[libby66 0]

Well the borrowed chick did'nt get fed and was returned to Sue's, and when i checked this morning the hen had pecked holes in the last two eggs and killed them,she has been removed from the cage and will be returned to the avairy in a couple of weeks.

[JimmyBanks 0]

Sorry to hear about the last 2 eggs... Doesn't sound like she was a very nice mum. Hope the fostered chicks turn out well

[libby66 0]

Thanks Jimmy,been a bad day today apart from the chicks my dog died today

Edited October 25, 2010 by KAZ

[buick_87 0]

_{sorry to hear about your dog libby! hope all is well}

 

 

[Finnie 0]

That's so sad about your hen and her chicks, and about your dog.

 

What happened to your dog?

[libby66 0]

Thanks Adam and Finnie,nothing sinister happend to the dog she was 16 years old and time caught up with her.She'll be missed.

[Catherine 0]

Oh, Libby! I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your dear doggie. You will miss her dreadfully.

[Sunnie 0]

Very sorry to hear about your dog and your naughty hen. Sue can be a life saver cant she. She certainly has saved me more than once (well my chicks and/or birds) with advice and support. There is a local breeder who is getting champions in SA and VERY much supports the newbies in the hobby