Broody issues with lone chick - frustrated!!

[pbjmaker]

Ok so I have 7 broodies right now (pretty much anyone old enough to lay) and 2 mamas (their chicks are 2 weeks and 1 week old and they co-parent them as a group)

Well two nights ago my millie who was sitting on two good eggs and 4 bad had one chick hatch. My serama stole it and was doing OK with it (she is experienced) when I believe the millie tried to get it back and it got pecked on the head and died. (silkie with large vaulted skull

) Well last night the other only viable egg hatched and I found the chick this morning in the middle of the coop cold - but still alive. It looked like they might have faught over it also. I made it a brooder and it is doing good now.

Here is my delima - I don't want the millie or the serama to have the chick back. This chick would not be able to keep up with the other clutch of chicks - even though those two moms would probably take it. Most the other broodies are new to this and I don't know what they will do either. I do have one experience broody left in there but she has only been sitting for a week and is scheduled to be in a show mid- July. I would rather just break her.

Any suggestions?

 

[swedishfish]

I had a problem a lot like this 6 weeks ago, when my broody managed to hatch 2 chicks. The first one I found out of the nest box with a pecked head, still living. I had sepparated her, so I knew it was the broody who did it. I put it in my brooder and gave it sugar water and all, but it died within the hour. Then the next day I found the other chick in the very corner of the nest box, with a bloody ear. The blood had stuck her to the box's side, or else I'm sure she would have been strong enough to climb back to her momma. I unstuck her and put her in the brooder. Now I have a loner chick, but she's healthy!

So, get it warm.
Give it something to snuggle, a t-shirt, stuffed animal, something. I put a rubber ducky in my brooder too.
Sugar water. You can use a syringe to put it in it's beak if it's weak, or wet a towel or just teach it to drink out of a little, low dish. I prefer to use brown sugar.
When it gets strong, put a mirror in with it to get it used to seeing other chickens.

 

[swedishfish]

I don't really know much more than that, but I'm sure someone else will know more!

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Eggsellent advise.

 

[pbjmaker]

S/he is fine now. I was just hoping to have a hen raise her. We got a new "free" coop tonight that is just the right size for two or three banties. I might put one of the *experienced* moms in there with her. For tonight though she stays in the brooder box.

 

[pbjmaker]

Yay! I put the little chick in with a broodie silkie last night - she looked at her and then just tucked her up under her chest really gently. She is still under there this morning. This particular silkie won't get up off the nest to eat right now, so I am hoping this is a good thing for both of them. They are seperated in the new small coop.

 

[Kelly FG]

oh good!! I hope the Momma & baby do well together!