I'm a bad chicken Momma

[newchik]

You might remember that last week, I lost 2 chicks in-shell because the eggs were due to hatch and the Mother Hen got off the nest to be with the 2 other chicks that had hatched two days before.

I had another brood of eggs that I knew weren't all laid at the same time, but only one broody hen left. One hatched yesterday - a gorgeous chocolate brown chick, but there were still two more to hatch. (It's a mix) Last night, after dark I snuck in, put it under the other hen whose chicks were only 3 days old. This morning, I came in to find that the mother had attacked this new chick.

He was flopped on his back, just pathetically peeping. I swooped in and took him out, angry at myself for thinking it would go smoothly and not checking at first light this morning. He was pretty cold, but breathing, and his feet and everything move. He just seemed plain exhausted - can't open his eyes (unless she pecked them? I can't tell). In the meantime, one of the other new ones hatched under the other mother, so after realizing that he *might* actually live, I put him under the other mother to keep him warm.

Should I take him back out and keep him warm in the house under a light? Is there anything I can do for him to give him a chance to live? I don't want to euthanize him if he's just cold and tired, but I also don't want him to suffer. He seems to just want to sleep.

So, do I take him out and nurse him, or let the real mother just keep him warm?

 

[suebee]

Don't beat yourself up. This has happened to me. Momma pecked chick. I thought it was dead but it wasn't so I brought it in under lights. It wanted to live so bad, but sadly passed away a day later.
My suggestion is if there are visible signs of injury, bring it in and use neosporin and warming lights. If not injured you could place it under the hen and see what happens.
Good luck..and remember, it happens to the best of us.:|

Also, just another thought, the 3 day old chicks may have pecked the newborn, not the momma.

 

[buffchick]

Yeah,
You might want to bring this chick in and try to hand raise it for a while. If it does have open wounds or any blood spots the other chicks or hen will peck it. Get some warm lights on this little thing.

Hope it goes well for you and the new chick.

 

[newchik]

The "real" Momma cast it out of the nest (I was watching carefully) so I brought it in under the warming lights. I was encouraged when it took a couple of drops of water, but the mother must have known best, because it died about 20 minutes later.

I think it was the other mother chicken that did it - she was looming over it and I got the impression she had just been pecking it.

I'm just sad because I had 2 chicks die in-shell a few days ago, and now this happened. *sigh* I'm "stuck" with the chicks I have for a while, because I just got rid of my nasty rooster. I'll have to wait for one my new chicks (one of which I'm sure is a rooster) before possibly trying again. I only wanted a couple more, but it's just sad.

 

[VanSintjan]

I am sorry for yoyr loss. I had that bad luck two years ago loosing all of the chicken to weather, clumsy broody, bad weather and then my rooster got ill and turned infertile. I gave up completey for a year but this year I dared t try again and I have 11 two weeks old that made it all worth it. I don't care that most of them roosters. i'm already busy finding good homes for the ones we cannot keep. God luck to you.