Just hatched Peachick ignored by hen

[old biddy]

@old biddy, sometimes I wait 24 to fix their toes because some will correct themselves. Can you post picture of you chick's toes?

Yes, I will take a photo in the morning and post it.

I have read that it won't need food or water for a day or so but am wondering if it will get dehydrated since it will be in the incubator or under a heat lamp. I am going to check on it before I go to bed and can give it some water with an eye dropper ... what do you think? This is the first hatchling for me to raise myself since in the past I have had the chicks raised by their mom or a foster hen so I am a bit unsure.

 

[old biddy]

@old biddy, sometimes I wait 24 to fix their toes because some will correct themselves. Can you post picture of you chick's toes?

I waited awhile like you indicated and sure enough the toes corrected themselves. Hooray! Can't post photos - I misplaced my phone - happens a lot these days, darn it.

 

[casportpony]

So it's doing okay?

 

[old biddy]

My peachick seems healthy and happy, runs around the brooder, likes to sit in my lap, etc. But I have not seen it eat yet and it about 48 hours old...I tried dipping its beak in the water but it was not interested in drinking. I wet my finger and dipped it in the chick starter crumbles and the chick pecked it off my finger, then dropped it. Not showing any interest in the food or water, even though it seems curious about pecking at the containers and the towel and the brooder itself. It seems bright and alert...just not eating or drinking yet. Should I be concerned???

 

[casportpony]

Do you have any other chicks you can put with it?

 

[old biddy]

Do you have any other chicks you can put with it?

I do have a chicken hen that has some week old chicks and I could kidnap one or two of them and put them in the brooder for awhile. Those chicks seem healthy enough. I could give it a go and see what happens. Should I wait another day before I take a chance on mixing the chicks with the peachick (wondering about disease transmission between bird types).

 

[KsKingBee]

Put something shiny in the water like marble or glass tile to draw the attention of the chick.

 

[casportpony]

I do have a chicken hen that has some week old chicks and I could kidnap one or two of them and put them in the brooder for awhile. Those chicks seem healthy enough. I could give it a go and see what happens. Should I wait another day before I take a chance on mixing the chicks with the peachick (wondering about disease transmission between bird types).

I worry about disease transmission too, especially if those chicks have been on dirt. I don't worry at all if the chicks have been in a brooder. Are there any feed stores near you selling chicks?

 

[old biddy]

I worry about disease transmission too, especially if those chicks have been on dirt. I don't worry at all if the chicks have been in a brooder. Are there any feed stores near you selling chicks?

I called our feed store in Perry, FL - they do not have any chicks for sale this time of year. I think I will keep trying to encourage feeding and drinking for another day and if its a no-go I'll kidnap one of the chicks from the hen house and see if it is a better teacher than I am. Actually, my peachick was hatched out in the hen house by a chicken hen so it has already been exposed to the chickens and so already at risk. But, hopefully, we will work this out. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[old biddy]

I worry about disease transmission too, especially if those chicks have been on dirt. I don't worry at all if the chicks have been in a brooder. Are there any feed stores near you selling chicks?

One more question - how long should I leave on the curly toe masking tape shoes? (I decided to do one foot that still had one crooked toe).