Help I'm Going Craaazy!

[cattbird]

Peep peep peep peep PEEP PEEEEEEP peep peep peep bloody peeeeeeeeep!!
And breathe!

Firstly, hello to everyone. I have been praying to officially join this part of the forum for months, but have been unsucsessful in trying to hatch my miniature Silkies, until now!! I have one lone 'black' miniature Silkie who hatched 2.5 days ago, 3 more whites due today/tomorrow.

S/he is soo gorgeous and tiny and I'm totally in love, but..... it just wont shut up! It peeps incessantly and loudly 24/7, I go to the brooder and put my hand in it jumps straight on and goes to sleep, I put it down very very gently.... but no good! peep peeep peeep until I come back. I honestly never thought chicks were so loud!

I have put a red light and a cuddly toy, but this baby is now jumping at the side of the box trying to escape. Is there anything else I can do? DP says it's manipulating me and I should ignore it!? But It's a bit too cute!

Also shouls it be eating and drinking by now? It pecks at the chick crumb but it seems too big and hard to get in to chicks beak.. I'm dipping the beak in water every few hours which it's drinking but not on it's own.

Please, if there's a god.. let it's mates hatch!!

p.s - I'm in the U.K, from what i gather you only have one size of Silkie? We have 3 here, miniatures being the latest trend!

 

[Judy]

If their feed is not really fine, the chick may do better if you crush or blend it a bit for a week or two. You might also try mixing a bit with water or yogurt to make a gruel of sorts. Some of them need more teaching how to eat than others do.

It's probably peeping for its mother, i.e., you. Hopefully that will improve when a few others hatch.

 

[cattbird]

I tried to crush the chick crumb a bit, but it's so hard! No wonder the poor thing cant eat it! I also added water to it but the consistency was a bit like cement!

Is there anything else they are allowed at this age?
Thank you

 

[annanicole18]

when i had a weak chick with a crooked neck hatch out all alone it lived on a crumbles mash for the first few weeks of its life. it makes it easier for them to get it in their belly. hopefully your other babies will hatch out soon and will talk to eachother and not scream out for you!

 

[Judy]

I'd try soaking it a few minutes, using enough liquid to get it soft and semi liquid.

 

[taras.farm]

It really needs to get started eating...keep it up!
CUTE
Congrats on the hatch....where are the siblings?


I got my fingrs crossed fer ya!

 

[kysilkies]

If you're like us, you'll just stay with it as much as you can cuz they're too cute!!!

There is something when it comes to solo chicks, they need a partner...Our first batch yielded us 2 black silkies and they are still inseparable, our 2nd batch yielded one buff silkie which the other 2 still have not accepted...So what does any good bird owner that only wanted 3 or 4 to end up with, they go out and buy 3 more LOLOLOLOLOL

We figured we'd get 1 the age of the lone ranger and 2 younger so she would be the biggest...Well, wife comes home with 2 white silkies that are just a little smaller and 1 larger partridge silkie...We put those 4 together and now the big partidge is ruler of the roost and the other 3 spent most of their time cowering in the corner...

Sooooooooo, we decided to try the partridge with the black ones, she fared a little better but still was on the end of non-stop attacks and in our eyes, never had a stress-free moment so we brought her back inside with the little ones hoping she learned her lesson...Duh LOL

In a few minutes we realized she didn't and are now back where we started with one bird living by itself...

We're using a doggie crate for the inside brooder and have now divided it in half, partridge on top, buff and white below, so far it works...

To make a long story short, I know, too late, but I also think your new arrivals will calm the new fuzzy butt down!...Please post pics as they hatch and good luck!

 

[cattbird]

I have 3 whites due today/tomorrow and can't wait as they are much tinier than the blacks egg. Out of the 6 blacks I got one ONE was fertile! and luckily hatched

taras.farm :

It really needs to get started eating...keep it up!
CUTE
Congrats on the hatch....where are the siblings?


I got my fingrs crossed fer ya!​

 

[cattbird]

LOL!! Oh dear, well, the more the merrier

Ill post pics on this thread when/if the others hatch.
Quote:

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Aww the LAST thing you want to do is ignore the poor thing

He's lonley and when you get the other chicks in there with it she/he will be just fine. Do you have a broody you can stick it by (if they are not laying on any eggs that is) Maybe she will adopt it. I had one like that and the only thing I could do was find another chick to get it to quiet down. It's just very lonely