Single baby chick! Help!

[DTRdz]

Hi there! First time on here , I've read a few threads with similar issues but non that have answered my particular one. So I'm currently taking care of a single baby chick, its 5 days old(my first time ever doing this, but I've made it happen with a little research). This baby chick was part of nest of 8, different momma hens laid in the same nest, only 3 hatched successfully and I actually discovered this one partly hatched so I helped it come out of shell. Momma hen had gotten up and left with her 3 baby chicks and left this one and another half hatched one behind. I tried to set the newly hatched chick near her but she completely ignored it. In fear the baby chick would die, I took it in, prepared a little brooder for it, (i had put a towel at first but now layered it with pine shavings) and kept it warm with a heating lamp. Needless to say, baby chick was up and moving by the end of day 2..started giving him some water and started hand feeding him starter feed mixed with water the nxt morning.
Compared to his other siblings this one is much much smaller, doesn't seem as fluffy, still looses a bit of balance when standing, but can run nicely with out a problem(ive started taking him out of the brooder and let him wonder a bit in hopes he would strengthen his legs) and spends quite a bit of time sleeping. He does chirp but not as often. I've recently made a bigger brooder for him, ive put a mirror in there, which he explores quite a bit, gave him a waterer, which he has learned how to drink out of it by himself every now and then, have set a little feeder with food in there but doesn't know or is not interested on it at all. I've done the whole thing where you tap your finger on the food, and tried putting his beak on it in hopes he would start pecking at it but nothing, I have been hand feeding him since then, every 2-3 hrs, (i go longer at night)to atleast get food in his belly and does good with that. He does peck at his legs and other things when I take him out of brooder to wonderbut not his dish with food.

So my questions are:
Would it be a good/safe idea to try to reintroduce it to momma and three siblings now, and if so, better during the day so he spends time with them or at night?
Or would it be safer to bring in another little chick in from the group of 3 to make it company, and if so, leave it in there all day or part of the day and would the healthy sibling be ok since they've been with momma hen since day one?

How else can I teach it to self feed, without stressing him out or starving him..or should i keep hand feeding him soften feed till he's old enough? I'm just nervous he already isn't growing healthy enough. So sorry for this long post just wanted to get all details in for an answer.
Also, forgot to mention, this chickens have literally moved in to our backyard from the neighbors so they have all reproduced and made themselves home here, so I as far as the type/breed of chicken I wouldn't have a clue, I just know from what i have heard is that the roosters are the "fighting roosters", I'm guessing the ones people often use to fight in matches like on tv(so inhumane), but I have seen them fight to death here so that I dnt like. Anyway, I would so appreciate a response to hopefully give my little chick a better life.

 

[Katie386]

The hen probably would have accepted it if you left it in there Longer. Your like me and worry to much. But I would NOT recommend trying to put her back with the hen now, the hen might try to kill her or him. The best thing you can do is find three more chicks to raise with the orphan and raise them separate from the mom until they are big enough to protect themselves and introduc them back to the flock

 

[DTRdz]

The hen probably would have accepted it if you left it in there Longer. Your like me and worry to much. But I would NOT recommend trying to put her back with the hen now, the hen might try to kill her or him. The best thing you can do is find three more chicks to raise with the orphan and raise them separate from the mom until they are big enough to protect themselves and introduc them back to the flock

Thank you so much for your advice. I did attempt to leave the new hatched chick longer close to her but i was watching momma hen but she never bothered so after about 10-15 minutes(I freaked out) I went to check on baby chick since momma hen was nowhere near, and he was not moving and super cold..so I ran in and well, here I am now.

 

[AntiqueB]

I had a very small chick hatch from a very small egg. She was unable to even eat crumbles, since they were too big. You can smash them into smaller bits with the back of a spoon when they're in a bowl. You can also add a bit of water to make a mash. It should be like oatmeal consistency.

I raised my only chick by myself from necessity, but it was a lot of work. I held her for most of the day (under my shirt worked well to keep her warm and comforted), and took her everywhere when I went out (thank heavens for curbside pickup). But that was also in April!

If you have a friend available, that would make it easier on you. They can be raised together, and slowly introduced using whichever method you prefer.

 

[DTRdz]

I had a very small chick hatch from a very small egg. She was unable to even eat crumbles, since they were too big. You can smash them into smaller bits with the back of a spoon when they're in a bowl. You can also add a bit of water to make a mash. It should be like oatmeal consistency.

I raised my only chick by myself from necessity, but it was a lot of work. I held her for most of the day (under my shirt worked well to keep her warm and comforted), and took her everywhere when I went out (thank heavens for curbside pickup). But that was also in April!

If you have a friend available, that would make it easier on you. They can be raised together, and slowly introduced using whichever method you prefer.

Thank you so much for your advice. I have been feeding it a soft mash with the starter feed mixed with water for about 3-4 days now, and he does eat and peck at it nicely, so would you say to keep doing that as long as needed or try to get him to eat more solid? Just nervous he won't figure out self feed to help it survive.
It is a bit hard at the moment, I have two littles and I work part of the day, so maybe it will be a good idea to bring in another baby chick for company?

 

[Katie386]

They do learn from each other. If you get a chick that’s good at feeding itself the weak chick will watch and learn.

 

[NatJ]

I have been feeding it a soft mash with the starter feed mixed with water for about 3-4 days now, and he does eat and peck at it nicely, so would you say to keep doing that as long as needed or try to get him to eat more solid? Just nervous he won't figure out self feed to help it survive.

Wet feed is fine.

You can leave a dish of wet feed with him-- no need to take it away.

You don't want it to go bad, so at least twice a day replace it with a fresh dish. The wet feed you take away (that's been sitting for a few hours) does not need to be thrown out-- just give it to the chickens outside. You have enough of them to eat it up quickly, so it will not spoil or be wasted.


I probably would try to give him another chick for company.


If this happens again, try warming the chick in a brooder that first day, then put him under the hen for the night. They peep & cluck during the night, so they learn each other's voices and seem more likely to stay together the next day. If the chick is much younger or weaker than the other chicks, he may get left behind as the hen walks around the next day. Keeping the hen & chicks in a fairly small pen for the first few days can help avoid that (by "small," I mean 4-6 feet in each direction. Not tiny, just not big enough for a chick to get badly lost.)

 

[DTRdz]

Wet feed is fine.

You can leave a dish of wet feed with him-- no need to take it away.

You don't want it to go bad, so at least twice a day replace it with a fresh dish. The wet feed you take away (that's been sitting for a few hours) does not need to be thrown out-- just give it to the chickens outside. You have enough of them to eat it up quickly, so it will not spoil or be wasted.


I probably would try to give him another chick for company.


If this happens again, try warming the chick in a brooder that first day, then put him under the hen for the night. They peep & cluck during the night, so they learn each other's voices and seem more likely to stay together the next day. If the chick is much younger or weaker than the other chicks, he may get left behind as the hen walks around the next day. Keeping the hen & chicks in a fairly small pen for the first few days can help avoid that (by "small," I mean 4-6 feet in each direction. Not tiny, just not big enough for a chick to get badly lost.)

Thank you for your advice! Definitely agree with you. Do you think I could possibly bring in another baby chick from the 3 that are with momma hen for company or would it be a bad idea?

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Do you have a tractor supply or Wilco store that is selling chicks? If you can, I would purchase a couple from a feed store nearby, but if you can’t, I would try bringing in one of the others. Try to pick the most chill chick, so it’s not constantly knocking the tiny one over.

 

[DTRdz]

Do you have a tractor supply or Wilco store that is selling chicks? If you can, I would purchase a couple from a feed store nearby, but if you can’t, I would try bringing in one of the others. Try to pick the most chill chick, so it’s not constantly knocking the tiny one over.

Do you have a tractor supply or Wilco store that is selling chicks? If you can, I would purchase a couple from a feed store nearby, but if you can’t, I would try bringing in one of the others. Try to pick the most chill chick, so it’s not constantly knocking the tiny one over.

Got it. If bringing in one of the others, would it be ok to leave it in with the single one all day and night or just for visit through out the day and put him back with momma hen? I do have a tractor supply but it is a bit way out since I'm in the country, so I guess I'm trying easiest and most convenient choice if possible and if it's gonna be ok with their growth for both single and one of the others..