5 wk old chick help

[Ayam Cemani Mommy]

I have a hen that hatched one chick 3 days before another egg hatched in her nest. When the second one was hatching she was with the other baby outside in the yard and wasn't interested in the one hatching. I took it in because it was cold. I have had it indoors for 5wks now. It is healthy and I was wondering if I put it with the mother hen and the other baby will she take care of it or kill it? I feel like it needs to be around others.

 

[Ebony Rose]

It does need to be around others, but this chick no longer has a mother; even its mother will not mother it. It does not have an established place in the pecking order, so you're going to need to integrate it into the flock.
Typically that looks like a chick with food and water in a wire dog kennel, that has been placed inside the coop for all of the other birds to come see and hear. Its living condition should remain as such until the chick is six to nine weeks old or for a couple of weeks, whichever is more time in the crate.
During this crate time, prepare the coop & run area for its eventual release into the flock by adding ways for the chick to run and hide to get out of the sight and reach of any birds that are overly aggressive to the little one. Place both food and water into one such hidey hole so that the chick cannot be denied access to groceries. You should supervise during this time when the chick is out with the rest of your birds for a couple of days and place the bird back in the crate when you are not supervising (only until you're sure the chick will integrate), and back in the crate at bedtime for at least a couple days. You expect to see some gentle head bopping from each of the members of the flock, or even a back or bum peck. That is the established bird telling the squirt that it has seniority and is normal and important for establishing a healthy pecking order. If the pecking order ritual becomes intense, put the baby back in the crate for a few more days and try again. Repeat as often as needed to integrate.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

It's too old to go back with it's mother. She will not accept it back. You will have to integrate her into the flock when she is a bit older.

 

[Ayam Cemani Mommy]

In the future you really want to prevent staggered hatchings, as mom may abandon the nest in favor of the chick(s) that hatch first, or may not take care of them in favor of continuing to sit.



Unlikely. The 5 week old is a stranger to the flock and needs to be integrated in just as you would a new bird.

Yes I know. Things were crazy at the time. We were in the process of moving

 

[Ayam Cemani Mommy]

It does need to be around others, but this chick no longer has a mother; even its mother will not mother it. It does not have an established place in the pecking order, so you're going to need to integrate it into the flock.
Typically that looks like a chick with food and water in a wire dog kennel, that has been placed inside the coop for all of the other birds to come see and hear. Its living condition should remain as such until the chick is six to nine weeks old or for a couple of weeks, whichever is more time in the crate.
During this crate time, prepare the coop & run area for its eventual release into the flock by adding ways for the chick to run and hide to get out of the sight and reach of any birds that are overly aggressive to the little one. Place both food and water into one such hidey hole so that the chick cannot be denied access to groceries. You should supervise during this time when the chick is out with the rest of your birds for a couple of days and place the bird back in the crate when you are not supervising (only until you're sure the chick will integrate), and back in the crate at bedtime for at least a couple days. You expect to see some gentle head bopping from each of the members of the flock, or even a back or bum peck. That is the established bird telling the squirt that it has seniority and is normal and important for establishing a healthy pecking order. If the pecking order ritual becomes intense, put the baby back in the crate for a few more days and try again. Repeat as often as needed to integrate.

Thank you so much for the advice. I will do this. I have a wire pet carrier I can use when she is a bit older. See advice like this is why I love BYC!

 

[SulkyBantam]

It does need to be around others, but this chick no longer has a mother; even its mother will not mother it. It does not have an established place in the pecking order, so you're going to need to integrate it into the flock.
Typically that looks like a chick with food and water in a wire dog kennel, that has been placed inside the coop for all of the other birds to come see and hear. Its living condition should remain as such until the chick is six to nine weeks old or for a couple of weeks, whichever is more time in the crate.
During this crate time, prepare the coop & run area for its eventual release into the flock by adding ways for the chick to run and hide to get out of the sight and reach of any birds that are overly aggressive to the little one. Place both food and water into one such hidey hole so that the chick cannot be denied access to groceries. You should supervise during this time when the chick is out with the rest of your birds for a couple of days and place the bird back in the crate when you are not supervising (only until you're sure the chick will integrate), and back in the crate at bedtime for at least a couple days. You expect to see some gentle head bopping from each of the members of the flock, or even a back or bum peck. That is the established bird telling the squirt that it has seniority and is normal and important for establishing a healthy pecking order. If the pecking order ritual becomes intense, put the baby back in the crate for a few more days and try again. Repeat as often as needed to integrate.

That's good advice @FuzzyCritters, yes it's too late now.
You should probably have given the chick to her when it was hatched, but in retrospect it will like you much better now!
What a sweetie, by the way!

 

[Jabebee13]

She would take care of it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

In the future you really want to prevent staggered hatchings, as mom may abandon the nest in favor of the chick(s) that hatch first, or may not take care of them in favor of continuing to sit.

She would take care of it.

Unlikely. The 5 week old is a stranger to the flock and needs to be integrated in just as you would a new bird.

 

[Ayam Cemani Mommy]

That's good advice @FuzzyCritters, yes it's too late now.
You should probably have given the chick to her when it was hatched, but in retrospect it will like you much better now!
What a sweetie, by the way!

Thank you. She is sweet.