Hen abanded the nest and now one of the abandoned eggs is chirping. Anything I can do?

[SuzanneM]

Ack. So the hen accepted the chick fine last night, but when I went to the coop this morning (around 7:00) she didn't have the new baby with her. I finally found it laying in the bottom of the chicken coop cold and limp.

It was still alive so I've got it back in the house in a box with the heating pad but I'm doubtful. This poor thing has been through a lot.

 

[SuzanneM]

Well, at first it just lay there cold and limp but now it has it's eyes are open and it's moving around

 

[Wisher1000]

Can you bring the hen and chicks into the house and let the little one gain some strength before it has to keep up with the others? If not, you could pick a smaller one of the older chicks as a buddy and bring it in and brood them together, it's done all the time! At any rate, keep that baby warm for at least a week, whether it is under the hen or on the towel on the heating pad. You may want to put a box over the chick on the towel to keep the heat from escaping too fast.

 

[SuzanneM]

I don't have any place to keep the hen inside but I could bring in other babies. This one is going crazy so I think it's lonely.

 

[SuzanneM]

Well, I brought in the smallest chick. While it is the smallest it is just huge compared to this baby. The chick thought it was a hen and tried to burrow under it so the larger chick just ended up walking all over it LOL. So, I put that one back with the momma and the sick on is back by itself.


Watching them though, I think what happened is this one just isn't strong enough to keep up with the others. Maybe I could reintroduce it in a day or 2 if it gets it's strength built up?

 

[wholewheatchicken]

I can only empathize with you. I tried to incubate for the first time and the eggs started to hatch over the weekend...only one chick made it. Now I am going nuts trying to help it. I have two broody hens and neither will accept it, but I did trick one last night into letting it sleep under her for about six hours. But this silly little thing doesn't want to eat or drink very well so last night it was constipated. I stayed up massaging its vent with olive oil....much better today. It obviously knows I am no chicken and it's so upset. Today makes it three days old and I am just doing my best to keep it warm, fed, watered and as quiet as I can to get him to the one-week mark. And there is no one around me that has baby chicks for sale. I guess it's not the right time of year. I see a lot of ads to put in an order for a chick LOL!
Your baby looks great. Glad you found it in time. Do you have chick food? Make sure it eats and drinks...I learned the hard way. Hopefully when the little boy gets home today he will help take care of it. My son is 12 and has been a pure God send. I keep looking at the calendar and telling myself I just have to get us to Sunday!!!!!! Oh, and if it won't eat, what I have been doing is taking the chick starter and mixing it with water and encouraging it to eat that and making the chick sit in front of the waterer until it gets some liquid. You can also do hard boiled egg and feed it the yolk, although I'm pretty sure that's what mine got constipated from, but, again, because it won't drink enough water. Today we're on a tough liquid program.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

How is chickie this afternoon and did the little boy come home yet?

 

[SuzanneM]

It's doing awesome! Super lively and LOUD and he was so excited. Now he gets to take care of it instead of me LOL

 

[somadlyinlove]

Awww, sweet story! Does the momma look like these?

If they do not have feathers on their feet they could be a type of Old english game bantams. Can you post a pic of the hen or roo?

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Those are pretty birds. Glad you have help to take care of him. My little chick just learned to drink from her waterer today and that has made life so much easier. Right now I am trying to transition her to stay in the brooder so she can have access to the food and water all the time and be at the right temp!