- Jan 17, 2014
- 39
- 3
- 26
Okay, so, this is the 3rd chance I have given my head hen at raising a clutch.
This is also the 3rd time she has failed, and thus the last time.
She normally crushes her babies under her enormous butt, and they die from being crushed/smothering, but this time four made it to about a week old. However, momma stopped showing them to drink and eat and just got tired of being a mom, basically. By the time I realized, two had died from dehydration, one was on its way out (convulsing horribly), and one was still alive, but very scared and dehydrated. For some reason he was alone in the yard, screaming, looking for warmth, and momma didn't even take him back to the coop with her.
Now I am left with one surviving chick. I syringe fed her sugar water and encouraged her to drink on her own until she was able to, and now she is in a 10 gallon tank all alone. When I look over to check on her she's always drinking or sleeping now.
I don't know what to do. I don't want her to grow up as a house-chicken like most lone chicks, I want her to be able to go back to the flock.
I am getting a shipment of day-old ducklings on the 10th. However, that's like two weeks of being alone. If I drive to the nearest Feed&Seed (1 hr away) to get her a couple chick and/or duckling friends, they'd still be able to live with the ducklings I get on the 10th, right? They will be moved to a large bin when the need arises (too many chicks/not enough space).
The last batch of chicks I raised were a 2week old chick, two 1week old chicks, and one 1day old. They all lived together fine, other than the smallest one was a tad sleep deprived (the oldest was more active and the youngest needed more sleep). The oldest and youngest actually became really good friends, and ended up being both males even though I paid for females....
ANYWAYS. Should I take off 3hrs time to run to the Feed and Seed to get the chick some friends, or, would she be okay alone until my shipment of ducklings comes in?
This is also the 3rd time she has failed, and thus the last time.
She normally crushes her babies under her enormous butt, and they die from being crushed/smothering, but this time four made it to about a week old. However, momma stopped showing them to drink and eat and just got tired of being a mom, basically. By the time I realized, two had died from dehydration, one was on its way out (convulsing horribly), and one was still alive, but very scared and dehydrated. For some reason he was alone in the yard, screaming, looking for warmth, and momma didn't even take him back to the coop with her.
Now I am left with one surviving chick. I syringe fed her sugar water and encouraged her to drink on her own until she was able to, and now she is in a 10 gallon tank all alone. When I look over to check on her she's always drinking or sleeping now.
I don't know what to do. I don't want her to grow up as a house-chicken like most lone chicks, I want her to be able to go back to the flock.
I am getting a shipment of day-old ducklings on the 10th. However, that's like two weeks of being alone. If I drive to the nearest Feed&Seed (1 hr away) to get her a couple chick and/or duckling friends, they'd still be able to live with the ducklings I get on the 10th, right? They will be moved to a large bin when the need arises (too many chicks/not enough space).
The last batch of chicks I raised were a 2week old chick, two 1week old chicks, and one 1day old. They all lived together fine, other than the smallest one was a tad sleep deprived (the oldest was more active and the youngest needed more sleep). The oldest and youngest actually became really good friends, and ended up being both males even though I paid for females....
ANYWAYS. Should I take off 3hrs time to run to the Feed and Seed to get the chick some friends, or, would she be okay alone until my shipment of ducklings comes in?
) I would get her some friends, she needs someone as chickens are very social creatures. ^^
