PoultryTalk.com

my chicken has gone broody so i put 4 eggs under her as she runs with a cockrell as do 12 others. i hatched on tuesday. she is in a broody coop with water and chic crumb but the chick has only drunk water given to me by a spoon. it has not eaten yet. what should i do. the hen has scratched crumb on the bedding but the chick has still not eaten. and advice welcome please. the hen is still sitting on 3 of the eggs but by sunday i will take them out as they are probably not fertile.

you can feed it some enriched corn meal on the tip of a spoon if you feel the need to feed it once the hen stops sitting on the other eggs she will take the chick out to eat

Hi sorrell.
Another thing you can try is to put some hard boiled eggs into the food processor and blitz them up, then sprinkle that onto the chick crumbs or porridge oats is another thing which is good to attract them. You don't want to do this all the time, but it helps to encourage them in their first week.

I would not worry to much, the chick is okay for 24 hours on food she has inside her, so it may only now be starting to think about eating.

Let us know how you get on.

Regards.

Jamie.