Chick happier alone?

[BrattishTaz]

I have a little EE pullet that is about 5 or 6 weeks old. She was scalped a couple of weeks ago by another chick what is 2 weeks older than her. My daughter brought her to me in a panic and initially I thought I would have to cull her. She literally had no skin on her head at all, just clean bone was visible.

I quickly noticed the chick was acting perfectly normal. She was eating, drinking, and no signs of pain.

I decided to give her a chance. I cleaned to wound out with sterile water and applied polysporin. I gave her gatoraid hoping the sugar would prevent shock and rehydrate her after the blood loss. My daughter set up a makeshift "house" for her in her room and decided she would nurse this little bird back to health. I warned her the chick may still not make it. Scrambled eggs and yogurt were added to her diet of chick starter. Her wound was cleaned and the polysporin reapplied daily.

I expected this bird to scream its little head off because it was lonely. It never did, in fact by the next day it was trilling away alone in the bedroom. It has been singing like a sparrow for two weeks now. The wound is slowly healing, the chick is growing quickly. It loves indoor playtime and really seems happy to be alone. This is the first time I have seen this behavior in a chicken! The rest NEED to have another bird around.

Has anyone else had a chick that prefers to be by itself?

 

[Desert Rooster]

I'm going through the same thing you are going through with my 8 week old EE x Light brown leghorn pullet.

But mine was severely pecked by her 3 hatch mates about 1 week ago on her back, it was so bad that her spine was exposed about 1/2 inch, i really didn't think she was going to make it, and was ready to cull but i just couldn't do it.

But Ive been cleaning and covering her wound and have her in a cage by herself now and she's healing pretty well.
I take her out once in a while so she wont be bored, but other than that she does well without the company of the other 8 week olds.
She's actually sitting on my shoulder making these little happy bird sounds as I'm writing this.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Mine is living in a long box with the top covered by a blanket. The box has an opening at the end and it attached to a cat cubby that is vinyl on the bottom and has two screened sides. The cat cubby gives her a well lit area to play in and she sleeps in the dark box. We have a sheet over the carpet in that part of the room so she can "freerange" a bit.

Your bird didn't cry for the others?

 

[Desert Rooster]

Quote:
Nope, she's probably happier this way.

but she does get a bit restless once in a while so i take her out and she quickly walks up my arm to my shoulder and just sits there making these purring sounds.

 

[Bearsfan]

We have an EE that is socially inept and has been in her own coop for almost a year now. She is the best layer we have and is as happy as can be.
We tried to reintroduce her to the flock after she healed the first time and it just didn't work out. She attacks everyone in the coop. She loves us though and is a total lap chicken.
She does like to hang out with the other birds when there is a fence between them, but put them out to range together and she is mean.

Some birds are just loners.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Now I am wondering if this is an EE trait.

 

[greytmommy]

We have a Cochin Chick like this. She is fine w/ the other chicks (there is no pecking, fighting, ect) but she REALLY prefers to be away from the other chicks and with us. It is strange. She wanders from the group, and only makes the distressed sound if she cant see US!

 

[BrattishTaz]

I just hope mine will adjust once she moves back outside. I do not want a free ranging house chicken!

She is just lucky I have not been able to craft a good helmet for her or she would be out now.

 

[Mom 2em All]

I have a single-survivor o-shamo chick that HATES to have company. I have tried to put older oegb in with it, I have tried putting a sizzle chick in with it, and I tried putting a gosling in with it. It beats them up. All of them. Tries to remove their eyes.
It lives alone- and makes trilling sounds, and is very very content with its mirror friend (who it regularly beats up)

So, I think it sometimes just happens that way.