ok to raise one chick by herself?

[lcatty]

I went to the feed store the other day- to buy feed and bedding- and passed by the area where they had leftover "easter" chicks. There were three of what appear to be Golden Comet pullets in one of the pens and two of them were really going to town on the smallest one. Her little wings and her chest were getting bloody from being pecked. So I asked if I could take her off their hands and they were fine with that.

So I got her home and she was very affectionate from the first. She jumps up on you at the first opportunity. However, I'm wondering if it was a mistake to keep her by herself. She is living in a cat carrier (temporarily) with shavings and food and water bowls. But she cheeps and cheeps loudly all the time. During the day she's out with us more than she's in the carrier- we have her on our laps, she frequently will just hang out on my shoulder when I'm doing dishes, laundry, what-have-you. We let her run around on the porch when we are out there. She never really stops cheeping loudly, though, except when she's asleep.

I wonder if I should take one of my split black/lav Ameraucana chicks and put it in with her for company. Maybe she's really distressed at not having another chick around? Like I said, she cheeps and cheeps- very loudly- and crawls up under my hair- but nothing seems to calm her down. She seems downright upset, and VERY clingy.

I'm just afraid to put another chick in with her in case it tries to pick on her. Or maybe she will pick on it. The split Ameraucanas are about the same age and size, although not nearly as fearless as she is when it comes to humans.

Anyone ever have a chick behave that way before? I wonder if chickens can be mentally ill, as humans can? Any advice?

 

[Rowdie]

They always seemed really disturbed to be alone. Alone has got to be better than pecked to death though. Maybe I'm nutz but I'd consider putting some kind of stuffed animal in there for the chick to ummm snuggle.

 

[lcatty]

Yeah- that's a good idea. We have a soft stuffed duckie that never gets played with- the boys will never miss it. I fixed up a bigger box for her and I'll put the duckie in there. I attached a light, too, for warmth. She is feathering out on her wings but has a ways to go on her body. She's something else- keeps jumping up on the computer keyboard as I (try) to type this- a little peeping spaz!

5 minutes later... she is still peeping loudly but sitting on the stuffed duck under the light. Her tone is slightly less plaintive. We'll see how it goes.

-

 

[lcatty]

Well, we have a very contented little chick this morning, sitting under the wing of her stuffed duck "mommy." Not peeping loudly, but making soft, happy chick sounds. Thanks for the good advice!

 

[azygous]

Congratulations on finding a solution for your chick's loneliness! I've read here that people have had great luck with substituting a stuffed animal for a broody. But she'll still need a lot of attention, and when she heals, I would certainly try putting her with your other chicks, as long as they're relatively the same size. I've had chicks separated by six weeks, and that didn't work since they were no where near the same size and they bullied the younger ones.