How to integrate a deaf chick

[Anime2lover]

Ok, so several weeks ago we got five free bantams from tractor supply, four did fine the first few days and one was really bad. Three of the four fine ones died within three days, and the really bad one and our silkie survived. But we noticed that the really bad one was having troubles, when ever the silkie chick was out of sight, like on the opposite side of the food bowl, she peeped incessently even with other younger chicks around. And she called the silkie and just couldn't seem to locate her even if the silky called back. Thats how we figured out she's deaf, we need to know how to integrate her safely In the future when it's time.

 

[Anime2lover]

Anyonw?

 

[vantain]

I don't know the answer for a deaf chick. I have a blind one, and I can tell you that she does surprisingly well, despite not being able to see. Yeah, she walks into things, and often hunts for the door to the coop, but she can hear the flock, so she knows where they are. She misses out on so many things, because of the lack of sight. I would imagine that a deaf chick, having sight, will get along just fine. A lot of chicken behavior is by sight, so even though she can't hear, she can see them. I'm struggling with how my chick will handle the inevitable pecking order fights, when she and the other 7 mature at the point of lay. She can't see to know when she is being challenged. I think your deaf chick will do just fine. They overcome things pretty well.

 

[Anime2lover]

I don't know the answer for a deaf chick. I have a blind one, and I can tell you that she does surprisingly well, despite not being able to see. Yeah, she walks into things, and often hunts for the door to the coop, but she can hear the flock, so she knows where they are. She misses out on so many things, because of the lack of sight. I would imagine that a deaf chick, having sight, will get along just fine. A lot of chicken behavior is by sight, so even though she can't hear, she can see them. I'm struggling with how my chick will handle the inevitable pecking order fights, when she and the other 7 mature at the point of lay. She can't see to know when she is being challenged. I think your deaf chick will do just fine. They overcome things pretty well.

I saw your post. We free range our adults during the day, so another thing I'm worried for is her learning the rooster's warning calls for the predators in our area, and our call to get them back as well for certain things.

 

[vantain]

I saw your post. We free range our adults during the day, so another thing I'm worried for is her learning the rooster's warning calls for the predators in our area, and our call to get them back as well for certain things.

Well, she can see when the other hens react to the call and start running for cover, so there is that. Again, I'm guessing that will be enough. When an animal, or even people, lose one sense, the other senses are heightened. She will learn to follow the lead of the others. Even my blind chick, despite not being able to see, follows them when they move from one area of the run to another. Not as quickly, since she tends to probe the area with her beak, or high steps to feel her way, but she get there. I can't free range here, due to a large number of hawks that are constantly taking down rabbits on my property. Not to mention the bald eagle couple that live nearby. Due to my chicks blindness, I would never allow her to free range. She would definitely be a meal.

My eight chicks are now 6 weeks old. I brooded them in the coop with the two big girls (2 yr old) I have. They have been able to see each other for the entire time, but not be in the same space. Last week, I started allowing supervised interaction, and on Saturday, I opened up everything. One of the older hens does pick on my blind chick, and the others, so I had to put pinless peepers on her. The other older hen has decided to be a mother hen to the 8. She actually takes care of my blind chick, by herding her to be with the others when she lags behind. It's been cute.

I still don't think the hearing loss will greatly hurt yours in an integration. Not sure how old yours are, or when you plan to start integrating. This is my first time integrating a new flock to older hens, and it's been a learning experience for me, not knowing how the older ones would react, and especially to a vulnerable blind one. The one I put the pinless peepers on definitely has a thing for the blind one. She was relentless in harassing her before I put the peepers on. My chick could never see her predatory advance on her, and when she was pecked by her, she was terrified.

Best thing to do is continue to observe how she behaves and/or reacts to the others. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well she really ends up doing.

 

[Anime2lover]

Well, she can see when the other hens react to the call and start running for cover, so there is that. Again, I'm guessing that will be enough. When an animal, or even people, lose one sense, the other senses are heightened. She will learn to follow the lead of the others. Even my blind chick, despite not being able to see, follows them when they move from one area of the run to another. Not as quickly, since she tends to probe the area with her beak, or high steps to feel her way, but she get there. I can't free range here, due to a large number of hawks that are constantly taking down rabbits on my property. Not to mention the bald eagle couple that live nearby. Due to my chicks blindness, I would never allow her to free range. She would definitely be a meal.

My eight chicks are now 6 weeks old. I brooded them in the coop with the two big girls (2 yr old) I have. They have been able to see each other for the entire time, but not be in the same space. Last week, I started allowing supervised interaction, and on Saturday, I opened up everything. One of the older hens does pick on my blind chick, and the others, so I had to put pinless peepers on her. The other older hen has decided to be a mother hen to the 8. She actually takes care of my blind chick, by herding her to be with the others when she lags behind. It's been cute.

I still don't think the hearing loss will greatly hurt yours in an integration. Not sure how old yours are, or when you plan to start integrating. This is my first time integrating a new flock to older hens, and it's been a learning experience for me, not knowing how the older ones would react, and especially to a vulnerable blind one. The one I put the pinless peepers on definitely has a thing for the blind one. She was relentless in harassing her before I put the peepers on. My chick could never see her predatory advance on her, and when she was pecked by her, she was terrified.

Best thing to do is continue to observe how she behaves and/or reacts to the others. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well she really ends up doing.

She is about 4-5 weeks old, along with her support chick, the silkie I cqll cotton ball. The other chicks with them are about a week older. We do see but no touch during the day and have been for about 3 days now.

This is the bantam pair (the silkie and deaf one). Peepers is so attatched to cotton ball that our ears woe the day when ever peepers can't see cotton ball. She is definitsly going to be integrated with her support chick (if she's a her). We would have to pay through peepers noises if cotton ball turns out to be male. She gets so distressed when cotton ball isn't near. Peepers (the deaf one) is thea black old english bantam chick, cotton ball is the white silkie chick. All our other chicks and hens are full sized breeds so theres that to think about with integration to

.

 

[vantain]

I can see why you named that silkie cotton ball Very cute.

 

[Anime2lover]

Y

I can see why you named that silkie cotton ball Very cute.

Yes and peepers has more then earned their name to.