Injured chick just found

[NatJ]

I just tried to set up a brooder...My bird would not stop yelling even though I checked the temperature and it was around 100 under the lamp and about 85 on the other side.

I ended up feeling really bad and took her out and set her back up with a blanket cave and heated rice sock and room for her to come out on the other end of a shallow cardboard box where I have a tiny cap of water and a small amt of food on each corner. The problem is, I have to wake up and re-hear the sock about every 3 hours. The chic seems very content and. Ever cries with this method!

The blanket and the rice sock are something cozy to snuggle against.
Maybe you can put them IN the brooder, about halfway between the warm and cool areas, and tuck the chick in there. Then don't bother heating the rice sock anymore, but leave it as a comforting "mother" for the chick.

Considering the temperatures you measured, I would probably try a smaller light bulb for heat, because the chick probably does not need the warm side quite that warm, and it would be better to have the cool side even cooler.

 

[janiedoe]

Yes! A puzzler is right!! I just tried to set up a brooder in a large sized plastic tub and set up a 250 watt bulb set 18 inches above the ground and set up a bottle water and some food and straw because my local feed store was out of wood chips. My bird would not stop yelling even though I checked the temperature and it was around 100 under the lamp and about 85 on the other side. I really tried to wait it out and see if it would settle down. It it never did and tried to jump out even though the plastic is way too high. I ended up feeling really bad and took her out and set her back up with a blanket cave and heated rice sock and room for her to come out on the other end of a shallow cardboard box where I have a tiny cap of water and a small amt of food on each corner. The problem is, I have to wake up and re-hear the sock about every 3 hours. The chic seems very content and. Ever cries with this method! I’m getting exhausted though. I’ve tried to see if my friends that brood chickens would take her but no one wants to take her on because they have older chicks and the other has too many chickens already. I am trying to hang in there. She is a sweet, cute little thing, and literally was going to die of I hadn’t rescued her. I didn’t even know who the mama is ~ so it’s hard to match her back up with a flock, but one hen has 9 babies and they are the same age it seems.

I'd again, suggest using an electric heating pad cave. She can go in when she is cold. You can put her sock in with her.
If you try to put her with a hen who has chicks, the hen may try to kill her, even the hen who hatched her.

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

 

[Shadrach]

It is lonely. You could give it a mirror or a stuffed toy or both. I've read that those can help a chick feel less lonesome (and thus, be more quiet.)

Chicks that are raised alone can have trouble interacting with other chickens later, because they have not learned the right skills. But since you want to re-introduce it to the feral chickens in the area, I can see why you don't want to buy more chicks, build a chicken coop, and plan to keep it forever. Hmm, definitely a puzzler.



If you can arrange a safe place outdoors, with a heat source, it could start being seen by the other chickens right away. How cold does it usually get at night? That can help you estimate when it will be able to do without a heat source.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/
This thread has photos and ideas about a warm "cave" for chicks using a heating pad. That lets the chick snuggle in and warm up, and come out when it wants to. It can work well in the house or outdoors in a pen.

@Shadrach you've dealt with some semi-feral chickens. Do you have any suggestions for OP's chick, and re-introducing it to the wild ones in the area? Or do you know who might be able to help?

It's not something I've done so I can't advise. But I know someone who can.
@TropicalBabies
Sorry to tag you. I know you'll know something about this topic.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aloha kakahiaka @tropicalbliss gotta say I love the name welcome to byc.
I gotta say I am impressed with what you have done. Photos are great always.
What area of the BI are you?
I'm of the thought that if the chick is mobile it will move to the warmth if you provide it. So make sure it has enough room to self regulate- move away from the heat source if needed. It probably wants to be around 85° (pretty close to our daily now)
It looks pretty young so good you provide the added heat.
Sorry you are injured and home but lucky chick! You are going to have to raise this one for a few months b4 you can reintro back outside on its own. If it drives you crazy with its beeping during the day, try put a neck scarf on and snuggle that baby into it. Yes, wear the baby in your neck lol. They love it and will quiet right down and you can get on with some of your day. As you are injured this may be a win-win. They are fun company. Very cute baby btw.

 

[TropicalBabies]

@janiedoe is spot on with the heating pad. They work great. If you have, awesome. I would add one to your box for nighttime with towels situated accordingly and you may get a few more hours of sleep.

I have pretty much always been lucky enough to find a second chick in need just when I am at the end of my mothering patience keep your eyes peeled as it will be a game changer for you and them. It is wonderful to be a part of this and I know it is hard but keep up the fun work ♡ not everyone gets to do this stuff.

 

[tropicalbliss]

Aloha kakahiaka @tropicalbliss gotta say I love the name welcome to byc.
I gotta say I am impressed with what you have done. Photos are great always.
What area of the BI are you?
I'm of the thought that if the chick is mobile it will move to the warmth if you provide it. So make sure it has enough room to self regulate- move away from the heat source if needed. It probably wants to be around 85° (pretty close to our daily now)
It looks pretty young so good you provide the added heat.
Sorry you are injured and home but lucky chick! You are going to have to raise this one for a few months b4 you can reintro back outside on its own. If it drives you crazy with its beeping during the day, try put a neck scarf on and snuggle that baby into it. Yes, wear the baby in your neck lol. They love it and will quiet right down and you can get on with some of your day. As you are injured this may be a win-win. They are fun company. Very cute baby btw.

Aloha!! I love your name as well!!
I live not far from Costco. There are several feral chickens around me and there are currently 3 hens with babies ranging from 1-3 weeks old! I was really hoping to re-introduce her into one of the flocks, but that may not happen, as you advised … and someone else said the mother could kill her. I heard that if you spray the baby with vinegar and water ad well as other babies that maybe there’s a chance, but the other mothers don’t let me come too close to their babies, even though I feed them, LOL.
It’s funny you say about the scarf though because I’ve actually have just been wrapping her up in a fuzzy sock and then I hear the rice sock and wrap that with a thick smaller towel so it’s not too hot and a few other washcloths and then put her in a small canvas bag I have, and tote her around wherever I go! It’s kinda crazy but I can’t just leave her alone at this point. I’m off of work currently due to an injury, but I should be back to work in about 3 weeks and IDK what I will do then when I’m working and she’s only 3 wks old. It’s too young to leave outside and I don’t have any coop and I don't want her to be contained either, or I may not have a choice to keep her safe?
Any suggestions about that?

VHer injury has healed up quickly and it’s like she doesn’t have it anymore! It’s a miraculous recovery and a lot of love her way!. Here she is now.
Where are you located? Do you know of anyone here on Island that may want to adopt her when she gets a little older? I have been walking her around the 2 mamas and babies as they scratch for food the last few days so they get used to her. One hen growled lol, and the other seems a bit more forgiving … so we’ll see!! Thank You so much for getting ahold of me! I appreciate it!
Many Mahalo,s
Tina

 

[tropicalbliss]

I'd again, suggest using an electric heating pad cave. She can go in when she is cold. You can put her sock in with her.
If you try to put her with a hen who has chicks, the hen may try to kill her, even the hen who hatched her.

Hi Janiedoe! I love the cave idea and I would do that in a heartbeat, however the only heat pad I have had a timer and the longest timer is for an hour ~~ so that leaves me still having to get up every few hours to re-set it.
The other option someone said was to set up a less intense bill, maybe at 100 watts.. I’m not sure, but then I would need to keep it by my bed to monitor it.
Is this too small for a heat source with enough room to get away though? It seems so big just for one baby, so I hesitate going any bigger. It’s a 27 gallon and is 10 inches wide by 2 1/2 feet long.
Please advise? This is what I tried to set up with the 250 watt bulb.. which I agree seemed way to hot! She beeped loud non-stop until I gave in.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Hi Janiedoe! I love the cave idea and I would do that in a heartbeat, however the only heat pad I have had a timer and the longest timer is for an hour ~~ so that leaves me still having to get up every few hours to re-set it.
The other option someone said was to set up a less intense bill, maybe at 100 watts.. I’m not sure, but then I would need to keep it by my bed to monitor it.
Is this too small for a heat source with enough room to get away though? It seems so big just for one baby, so I hesitate going any bigger. It’s a 27 gallon and is 10 inches wide by 2 1/2 feet long.
Please advise? This is what I tried to set up with the 250 watt bulb.. which I agree seemed way to hot! She beeped loud non-stop until I gave in.

If you use the heating pad and some towels the towels will hold the heat in longer. I'd rather fumble in the night and flip a switch than get up and heat a rice sock.
This is more or less the cave @janiedoe mentioned.

Just a piece of wire to stiffen it up. Many things will work but the theory is warm mommy like space.

You could try to set her up in a protected space outside so the moms can do a look but don't touch (keep heated sock and towels for her) and see if one of the moms (probably the friendlier of the two) takes to her. It can happen. I have released a chick back it's mom a few times but those were 24 hour or less, so the more time that goes by the more iffy. Just be ready to rescue if needed. Don't set chick adrift, it will die and or be killed.
The chick will be almost fully feathered in 3 weeks. If reintro does not work then maybe we can find you a simple cage for her.
Let me check with my friend in Kamauela.
So.. . Costco is Kona side yeah?

 

[TropicalBabies]

@elisajp