When they hatch you can leave them with the hen to care for but keep the rooster away. If you let the hen care for them and they have a good roost to stay warm the hen will do the work and they will be out and eating when they are ready. Usually baby chickens are able to eat on their own not long after birth. They just need to be able to walk so keep enough food and water out. Basically confine the rooster because the roosters will kill your babies sometimes. The rest just happens on its own. Best not to touch the little ones unless you have to they are very fragile.

John

Are they in an incubator or under a hen? If they have a mama hen, just put her and the chicks in their own pen and she'll take care of keeping them warm and teaching them how to eat and drink. Provide a secure pen with appropriate food & water, and litter that can provide traction--nothing slick.

If they are in an incubator, have a brooder box all warm and ready to go: you need a source of heat (like a light bulb), the box needs to be free of drafts and secure from predators, baby chick food--either chick starter or grow mash--both are a finely ground food, and water that the chicks cannot drown in.

Chicks absorb the last of the egg yolk just before hatch, and can survive for up to three days off of it--so don't freak out if you don't see them eating right away.

I've got more info on my chicken site, here:

http://jackshenhouse.com/VSChickHensBroodiesChicks.htm

Enjoy your chicks! :)

Velvet ~:>

Good Morning,

Thanks to everybody - the mama hen is hatching the eggs they were due on Thursday 7th we now have 4 new babys - 2 of the blue eggs were duds' 1 died in the egg - was to late to save it(shell to thick)so now we have 3 eggs left, should I take them away or give her the rest of the day?
We had 2 hatch on Thursday and 2 on Friday?

Thanks for the website I could only remember half of web site I did not see anything about above question - but might have overlooked it - will read again slower!

The mama hen is in the chicken coop but I have a mini cooper inside that she and the babies are in with the appropriate waterers and feed - everybody can see and socialize but can't get to the mama or her babies.

Should I open it up later when the chicks get bigger so that she can take the babies outside?

Isn't the excitement high GREAT?! I still get excited each time some hatch. If it is your very first take lots of pictures. I have shoe boxes full of pictures and now a computer that is exclusive for pictures of each chick that hatches.

Nothing better.

Good luck with them.

*L* Seramas, you sound like me!

nelda, I'd leave the remaining eggs with her, what can you lose? I always give my eggs three days beyond the hatch date, just to catch any stragglers.

I'd give mama and babies at least two weeks before letting them out with the other chickens--jealous or bullying hens can gang up on the little family, and mama can't be everywhere at once. After two weeks the babies have gained some savvy and strength, and can better escape from danger.

Enjoy the chicks, and yes--pictures!

Velvet ~:>