Help! Lonely chick won't stop chirping!

[Juliesayshello]

I tried everything for the little fellow. I placed a mirror, stuffed animal and he had a heating lamp
In there. I made sure of the temp with a thermometer. You guys are right. What it boiled down to is he was lonely and needed something I couldn't give him. He needed a momma hen. After Saturday night I was desperate! He chirped ALL night and it was like a fire alarm going off! I have kids and I just couldn't keep doing that to them. I was at my wits end! I'm fairly new to chickens, so there's a LOT that I don't know. I figured now is the time to learn. I plan on having chickens for a very long time, so I'm gonna have to learn! I went and got one of my older silkie girls, known to be a great mother. I brought her in and placed them together. She did ok, didn't hurt him but I could tell she wasn't happy about the situation. She's been laying on eggs and one of the other (meaner) girls stole her nest. I thought she would be happy to have a baby. She really wasn't. I put her back out with the others. The other meaner hen just happened to hatch her first egg. I would go out several times a day to check on her. Today,I did my routine by going out there and I slipped my baby under her. She took to him great! He crawled up under her and I could hear his content peeps! I checked on them one more time this evening and she tried pecking me when I reached for the chick! I will keep y'all updated and I'm praying she takes care of all her chicks!
On the incubator, I know that just one egg hatching isn't good. I had several factors against me. I think the biggest one is my inexperience. The eggs I incubated were laid by a hen that was given to me. She would lay eggs everywhere but in the nesting box! So on a few I'm not exactly sure the age of the eggs. (I let them free range at times) I gathered them up and put them on my kitchen counter until my incubator arrived, which was too many days. (I know this now.) I didnt rotate the eggs enough. I didn't properly clean them. I relied on the incubators thermometer and humidity gauge (which was not accurate) I candled them too much allowing temps to fall by opening up the 'bator too much. I should have been more prepared and knowledgeable but I'm taking this as a learning experience. I plan on trying again and hopefully will have a better turn out. I would appreciate any suggestions. Am I missing something? Any tips? Seriously! Anything would be appreciated!

 

[chickens really]

Hello....

It sounds like the Hen will take your chick and raise it. Perfect timing.....

You can store your eggs in a cool area of your house for up to 7 or even 10 days....after 7 though they lose their fertility .......you can store them in egg cartons, pointy side down and shift the carton on a book once or twice a day.....that's what I did with Duck eggs I am setting.....not sure what incubator you have? I have a forced air Hovabator 1588.....I have my humidity at 50 during setting...I will lower it depending on the air cells a week before lock down to 40% and for lock down I will raise it to 63 to 65% till hatch.......

I totally understand how confused you are......best of luck your next time around.....


Cheers!

 

[aart]

Sounds like you are well aware of your errors, which is a good thing IMO.
Like keeping chickens in general, there are a lot of little details to learn about incubation/hatching.
It's overwhelming at first, and the failures can be heartbreaking.

Browse and read threads in this forum, weigh all the info and apply what you can use.
Read, read, read...time consuming but good way to gather info and sort the good from the not so good.
This might be a good place to start......it's CHOCKFULL...so may have to be taken in with smaller doses.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Hope the broody 'takes' the lonely chick and tends it well!

 

[speckledhen]

I've read of people putting a small stuffed animal and unbreakable mirror in with lonely chicks and that seems to comfort them. Haven't had an occasion to try it myself, but if your hens don't take to him, might be worth the try.

Good luck!

I've used a small stuffed animal and it works nicely. Just make sure it has nothing the chick can peck off and choke on. And they like to see themselves in the mirror, too, like Debby said. Single chicks can be difficult, a situation I try to avoid at all costs. I've been known to buy a feed store chick to companion a single hatchling in previous years. That's why I have Xander, my bantam Cochin rooster.

Glad you seem to have worked it out for the chick. I love it when I have a hen who will take the chick, but they seem to have to be at a particular spot in their broodiness, right at hatch time or just afterward.