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Filial Imprinting- new mommy for a Henless chick?

post #1 of 6
4/19/12 at 6:16am
Thread Starter 

I'm considering trying to create a new attachment for my soon to hatch baby chicks. I do not have hen right now, but until i can find one, i was hoping to use a puppet hen instead for feeding and affection. Has anyone tried this before? If so, has anyone tried to introduce a real hen to chicks after forming an attachment to a puppet, or other object?

 

Thanks for the input!

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post #2 of 6
4/19/12 at 6:24am

Ok, I'm puzzled. Why?

Generally speaking once a chick is a few days old, they don't transfer to a hen as easily as day olds. If only 1 chick hatches it will be lonely and I've had good results with giving it a stuffed animal to hang out with until another chick hatches. If you're expecting several chicks to hatch though, there is really no reason to try to get them to imprint on anything. They will learn everything they need to by instinct and from each other.
 

We are NPIP.


blog, Blog, BLOG: http://muranochickenfarm.blogspot.com/

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We are NPIP.


blog, Blog, BLOG: http://muranochickenfarm.blogspot.com/

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post #3 of 6
4/19/12 at 6:29am

They already have a new mom- You. Just make sure they have a warm safe brooder and plenty of food and water. If you haven't raised any before there's lots of good info and people that will help here. welcome-byc.gif  

I'm not an expert,"ex" is a has been and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure!

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I'm not an expert,"ex" is a has been and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure!

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post #4 of 6
4/19/12 at 10:34am
Thread Starter 

Well, I was actually thinking about trying to repeat an experiment i had recently researched in which chicks (older than day old) were first imprinted to a stuffed animal version of a hen and then easily re imprinted to a real hen weeks later, the other group was first imprinted to a blue ball and then unsuccessfully imprinted to the real hen. The purpose of the original study was to look into whether animals recognize and have a natural liking of faces, as humans do. Humans rely on the fusiform face area in the left temporal lobe to recognize and distinguish faces, something that is thought to be an inherent ability that is strengthened through experience.

 

Ill let you know how it turns out!

 


 

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post #5 of 6
4/19/12 at 10:35am
Thread Starter 

The only reason i don't want to let the chicks become attached to me personally is because I am typically away from the house at least 8 hrs per day :(
 

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post #6 of 6
4/19/12 at 11:59am

I'm gone all day too and my chicks have each other to bond with but know my voice and associate me with food and treats my older girls know i'm a safe zone when the boys get a bit rowdy.   

Sus
mom to one 12yo, 3 dogs,1 cat and a flock of 24 and 4 little peepers

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Sus
mom to one 12yo, 3 dogs,1 cat and a flock of 24 and 4 little peepers

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