Calm, cool, loner chick... normal?

[cmjust0]

I noticed yesterday that one chick was acting like something of a loner. I've got the waterer hung a few inches off the floor of the brooder (level with the smaller chicks' backs) so they don't crap it up as quickly, and this chick was laying under the waterer.. Thinking back, I've seen "chicks" under there before, but I really think it might be this chick specifically that's been under there time and again. It's among the smallest in the group, but it's feathering out like some of the biggest. It's got nice little tail feathers and everything, it's just...little.

I thought something might be wrong so I reached under and picked it up to take a look. Though it was very alert and aware that I had hold of it, it didn't fight me too much. It looked perfectly fine.. When I set it back in the brooder, it walked around for a minute, then laid down near the feeder, then got back up and decided it wanted to eat...which it did, no problem. Afterward it walked over to the waterer, got a few sips, looked around, then promptly hunkered down, climbed back under the waterer, and laid down again.

Bear in mind that as I'm watching this little chick make its decisions so calmly and deliberately, all the other chicks are darting this way and that, flapping around, running into one another, chirping, pecking at the walls, scratching around aimlessly...which makes the little loner look all the more 'Zen'...maybe even smarter?

So, is it normal for the occasional chick to be a calm, cool, collected loner like this, or am I seeing the early stages of something bad?

 

[Backyard Farm]

I don't know the answer...

....but if it is ok - normal.... sure seems like something worthwhile to breed..

I have some orp chicks right now that are unusually calm... LOVE IT!!! They seem to actually want to walk towards me rather than flutter about when I near.

 

[Davaroo]

Very interesting. Superb observation and reporting skills you have there. I might add. Kudos for a cool head.
As long as it is healthy and appears to be un-harmed, then I would guess it's okay. Besides, given those things, there is little you can do, anyway.

Not every chicken born must be a manic blunderhead, I suppose. I've had them that were like that. Much like people, one appears now and then that seems to actually have it's wits about it.

 

[cmjust0]

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I was thinking the same thing, provided it eventually catches up to the others in size. I think it's a little pullet, but I'm not sure.

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Thanks... I'm naturally long-winded.

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Well, I didn't figure I could do much but keep an eye on it to see what happens..

Not to mention, we got these chicks from my uncle who's been hatching and raising chickens pretty much his whole life. The price was right, too...free, all 28 of'em. As we were leaving with the chicks, I thanked him again and sheepishly said "I hope we don't do something stupid and kill'em all..." In the most reassuring, nonchalant manner you can imagine, he said "Eh, I don't care. If you do, call me. I'll hatch you out some more."

That's not to say I don't care about them -- I really do, and I'm enjoying them a lot -- but we'd basically already accepted the fact that we'd probably make some mistakes and have some bad luck as first timers. And, like I said, we've apparently got a limitless supply of free chicks at our disposal. That makes it a lot easier to stay calm when things get weird.

As it turns out, though, we've still got all 28.

Yeah, I know. We're all pretty surprised.

 

[Davaroo]

Adopt your uncles attitude
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I was thinking the same thing, provided it eventually catches up to the others in size. I think it's a little pullet, but I'm not sure.

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Thanks... I'm naturally long-winded.

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Well, I didn't figure I could do much but keep an eye on it to see what happens..

Not to mention, we got these chicks from my uncle who's been hatching and raising chickens pretty much his whole life. The price was right, too...free, all 28 of'em. As we were leaving with the chicks, I thanked him again and sheepishly said "I hope we don't do something stupid and kill'em all..." In the most reassuring, nonchalant manner you can imagine, he said "Eh, I don't care. If you do, call me. I'll hatch you out some more."

That's not to say I don't care about them -- I really do, and I'm enjoying them a lot -- but we'd basically already accepted the fact that we'd probably make some mistakes and have some bad luck as first timers. And, like I said, we've apparently got a limitless supply of free chicks at our disposal. That makes it a lot easier to stay calm when things get weird.

As it turns out, though, we've still got all 28.

Yeah, I know. We're all pretty surprised.

The hallmark of stewardship, is steadfastness. Adopt your uncles cavalier attitude. It'll save you much agony later on. And be grateful for him as a resource - that is hard to beat.

But you know, you really sound like you are well suited to this. I dont think we'll see many "Aaaaah! Help! OMG!

" posts from you.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I had one that started out as a loner. When the other chicks piled up to sleep together, she would stand in the opposite corner by herself. I worried over this chick and handled her so much that she is now my tamest & sweetest girl. Mine grew out of it eventually, so hopefully yours will also. She will hang out with the other chicks now, but she would still prefer to sit on my shoulder on the swing whenever possible.

 

[cmjust0]

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Yep...and to think, I didn't even know he raised birds until we started looking for chickens and my dad mentioned him. Apparently though, he's the 'go to guy' in his area. If someone wants a bird -- meat birds, layers, banties, guineas, peafowl, whatever -- he can probably either find some outright, or find eggs to hatch it.

He's ALWAYS got something in his incubator...

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I hope not.. I try to reserve the

type posts for my goat-related problems.

 

[cmjust0]

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Mine all apparently still hate me. Every single one of them.

Which is fine, frankly... I'd like for them to eventually not act like I'm Godzilla everytime I look in the brooder, but I can kinda understand it. I'm huge, they're tiny. Makes sense. So, I leave them be. New food, fresh water, adjust the lamp a little...a layer of shavings here and there. Otherwise, well...we've got six dogs, four cats, and fifteen goats trying to climb on me at any given time.

I'm to a point where I can really, really appreciate an animal that DOESN'T want my attention.

 

[Davaroo]

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Ahhhh... you, too, are wise, grasshopper.

 

[cmjust0]

That's what I keep telling everybody, but...