Help, don't have an incubator and I'm trying to keep a newborn chick alive

[Yardmom]

You can give the chick water, but make sure it is shallow. We add rocks to the chick waterer. If you want to wait until tomorrow that would be ok because of the yolk sac absorption.

 

[Coops Dad]

Sneak the chick in with the other babies under the momma well after dark; she's less likely to reject it.

 

[Mellowmalt]

omg, get rid of that rooster! I can't believe he did that. The healthy chick would have been a better addition and now it sounds like you might losing both because of him.

On the note of the water, give chicks water as soon as they are born. They can survive 24 hours without but studies have shown the sooner a chick starts eating and drinking the stronger those chicks will be 8 weeks later compared to chicks that waited 24 hours.

 

[Yardmom]

If you like the rooster you don't have to do anything drastic. Just keep it away from chicks. Many people don't let chicks in the coop at all. A hen is just as likely, maybe more likely to peck chicks. I do keep chicks with broodies in my coop, but there is always risks involved.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

You can give the chick water, but make sure it is shallow. We add rocks to the chick waterer. If you want to wait until tomorrow that would be ok because of the yolk sac absorption.

I've already been giving it water with an eye dropper. If I did it too soon would it harm it? It's still not moving much, when I take it out of the toaster oven she sort of moves and tries to stand up, I'm wondering if I should try giving it some watered down corn flour with maybe cooked rice and tuna into a paste.... Should I wait more time? It chirps everyone in a while. The other chicks that hatched naturally and are with their mom were walking around, eating on their own and even started eating some corn masa yesterday. Now this chick took a long time to dry out... It's fluffy now but definitely seems weak. It slept most of the day and I guess that's ok...?

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

omg, get rid of that rooster! I can't believe he did that. The healthy chick would have been a better addition and now it sounds like you might losing both because of him.

On the note of the water, give chicks water as soon as they are born. They can survive 24 hours without but studies have shown the sooner a chick starts eating and drinking the stronger those chicks will be 8 weeks later compared to chicks that waited 24 hours.

That is super helpful info thanks very much. I have given it water and it's still pretty calm and it worried me a bit that maybe it's digestive system wasn't ready for even water. Do you happen to know how often I should feed it. Thought of giving it watered down corn flour with cooked brown rice and tuna made into a paste.
Thanks again.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

Even if it's too weak to stand? It hasn't really roamed the little nest I put it in, inside the toaster oven. It has slept most of the time. I'm wondering if maybe it was just a premature baby maybe. When I went to the nest (once everyone was out) I found the egg with a small perforation and when I blew air into it it moved, so that's why I took the decision to help break the egg and take it out. Just gave it water and it chirped and sort of moved, it's chirping now, feel like maybe I should place a fluffy cloth inside so it feels like there's someone else with it....?

Sneak the chick in with the other babies under the momma well after dark; she's less likely to reject it

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

If you like the rooster you don't have to do anything drastic. Just keep it away from chicks. Many people don't let chicks in the coop at all. A hen is just as likely, maybe more likely to peck chicks. I do keep chicks with broodies in my coop, but there is always risks involved.

Yeah after the first time I thought of making it a closed space and separating him with the chickens that seem to like him. I guess it's helped his confidence to sleep with the girls by himself without his father because yesterday it finally sang again after months that he'd stopped (his father and the original hens that we had always pushed him away and bullied him). I feel horrible for him because when his father started attacking him and we saved him he realized we liked him so he hangs out with us, follows us around and let's us pet him (he's the only one that allows that). When he sun bathes he does it right next to us. Just think that he became a bit dysfunctional with chickens because he was scared and pushed away. Now he seems so much better he also started to flirt with the new girls just a few days ago (something he hadn't even tried before). Plus he's so gorgeous in my eyes...

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

Oh in regards to the injured chick it's surprised me how strong it is, it stood up afterwards and although it has closed one eye (I think he might be in quite a bit of pain) he's followed mom into the nest, and to and back to the water and feeder. And the hen is such a good mom, wow, love her, she's a first time mom and she didn't move from the spot until the chick was better, she waits around for him, even pecks it's cheeks lovingly and she allowed us to give it water without getting nervous or attacking us (which she did do to two of our hens when she didn't like that they got too close to her chicks). She's definitely my favorite right now.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

And more exciting news, the chick in the toaster oven is getting stronger. She even accepted the food happily (I made a paste of corn flour, tiny bit of tuna and a pair of cooked black beans). Super happy about it. Now I just wonder how often I should feed it....? Any suggestions?