Do they need a training chicken?

[Donna Sue]

I've got 3 baby peas. One hatched Wed, and I still haven't seen him/her eat yet. Actually all this baby does in the brooder is cry and cry to get out and be held. Do they need a baby chick to teach them to eat and drink? These are my first baby peas.
I've tried dipping the beak in the water to show him/her what do do, but still all this bird does is sleep or cry.
Ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Donna Sue

 

[msmolly]

Congratulations! But that is so sad that he is crying. You might want to check some of these other threads that are talking about lonely chicks, and get in direct communication with them- they are already pros at this. I've never had a lone one, but I do raise my peafowl with my chickens, and it goes well- so if you have access to a chick- can't hurt. But maybe check with one of the other gals- who know more about the incubator babies. Do you have a hen that would adopt it? Thats another possibility. Good luck

 

[birdeo]

I've got 3 baby peas. One hatched Wed, and I still haven't seen him/her eat yet. Actually all this baby does in the brooder is cry and cry to get out and be held. Do they need a baby chick to teach them to eat and drink? These are my first baby peas.
I've tried dipping the beak in the water to show him/her what do do, but still all this bird does is sleep or cry.
Ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Donna Sue

Is this chick alone in the brooder?
If so, you may want to add a stuffed animal and/or a mirror hanging from the sidewall of the brooder he can look into for " company".
Not sure how old your other baby peas are but perhaps you can put this one in with them... if they are not much larger/more active than this one at this time.
This chick sounds lonely, he needs company.

As far as eating/drinking goes you can tempt it by wiggling your fingers in the water and feed.
Also can try adding something shiny in the water and/or feed that will draw it's attention....fresh CLEAN finely chopped up green leafy veges. will help too. ( lettuce, etc. )

 

[Donna Sue]

Thank you for the replies. I'm sorry I wasn't very clear in my original post. The other two hatched on Friday, so #1 was a bit early. He/she cries non-stop unless asleep. All of them are in the brooder but still the one bawling and running the brooder back and forth as if trying to get out. Never thought about a stuffed animal or mirror. Good idea!
Before the others hatched, I did hold this baby quite a bit. We actually named it "Pocket" because he/she loves being in the pocket of my sweater and will try and climb into my sons pants pocket.
Maybe the poor baby thinks it's a human.
I will try the leafy greens chopped up really fine and see if that's tempting.
Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Yoda]

Chances are it is eating you just haven't seen it do so yet. I use a different brooder than most people LOL Pictures please of your setup and chicks. Here is what mine looks like: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/704066/ill-show-you-my-setup-if-you-show-me-yours-heavy-pictures My brooder has 2 compartments. It is actually a 2 door cabinet I got cheap at Walmart LOL One side is heat the other is not heated. The food side goes in the heated one and the water goes in the non heated one.
I read in another thread that one of your chicks has a leg issue. Again please post pictures, we can help you best if we can see what is wrong

 

[Trefoil]

If you have 2 other pea babies in with it that are fine, this may not be the case, but the first thing to check if a baby is crying is the temperatures available to it. A chick that can't get far enough away from the heat will usually be (for lack of a better word) drowsy, a cold chick is a noisy chick ( again usually).

 

[casportpony]

Now might be a good time to get a baseline weight on them... They should be making *daily* weight gains if eating properly. You might also want to try some crickets, they usually love those.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

From: http://www.sears.com/taylor-3839-glass-led-kitchen-scale/p-SP102A18658S6279176806P