Best liner/ bedding for drop tray

[katesykes40]

Hi, I need some advice quick, please.

I put 8 eggs under our broody hen, 5 of which hatched Thurs/Fri.

Last night (Sat) another chick hatched but my broody won't accept it and keeps pecking at it.

There are still 2 eggs left in the nest box which this morning she has gone back to sitting on, so I have now shut the door to the coop and covered it up in the hope that in the dark she will not peck at the new chick and may accept it?

This is the first time I have hatched any eggs so any advice or tips as to what else I should do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Egluntyne]

I think that is all you can do for now. She may have identified the chick as being abnormal, and this could be why she appears to be rejecting it.

[katesykes40]

Hi

 

The chick appears well, but it did hatch from an egg that I had marked. At the beginning when my broody started sitting on the eggs, I kept finding an egg that although still in the pile of 8 eggs was at the back and therefore not quite under my broody. This happened only 2 maybe 3 times but always this same egg.

 

I just lifted the cover off and opened the door to the run, my broody got up with her chicks but is still rejecting this chick. I have shut them back in and once settled back down tucked the poor little chick under her wing, observed for a couple of minutes and she didn't attempt to peck it. I will leave her like this now until the morning. They have access to food and water and so hopefully I am still doing the right thing?

 

Not quite sure what to do in the morning if it makes it through the night and my broody is still rejecting it.

 

Thanks for your help

Kate

[craftyhunnypie]

If the broody is still rejecting it - you'll need to set up a brooder.

Emma.x