My family is going overseas for 10 days. We only have one chick. A neighbour is coming to ensure the chick has food and water every day. However, she has no experience rearing chickens. We expect she will not play with the chick and provide only the basic necessities once a day. The chick has a mirror, a wind-up toy & a piece of cloth. I wanted to stay home but the tickets were already bought and my family would go bonkers if I did. Will it die of loneliness?
Leaving only chick for 10 days
- Thread starter tofutop
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I agree with Bigwig,
Chickens are very social critters and this little one will be very lonely if left on it's own for such a long time. If you can't find another one to bring to your place you may look to see if you can find someone else who has chickens or at least knows about them and let them watch the little one at their place.
How old is your chick? There's a huge difference in needs during the first week of a chick's life and the eighth or tenth.
Even still, leaving any animal home all alone is cruel and not very responsible. It will suffer from abandonment, and yes, it could die from it, especially an animal such as a chicken that derives its sense of well being from being a member of a flock, and you are its flock under these circumstances.
How old are you, by the way? If you're under fifteen, your parents bear a lot of the responsibility for the well being of this chick and should be doing all they can to help you make sure its being left for ten days under the best of conditions.
Even still, leaving any animal home all alone is cruel and not very responsible. It will suffer from abandonment, and yes, it could die from it, especially an animal such as a chicken that derives its sense of well being from being a member of a flock, and you are its flock under these circumstances.
How old are you, by the way? If you're under fifteen, your parents bear a lot of the responsibility for the well being of this chick and should be doing all they can to help you make sure its being left for ten days under the best of conditions.
Hey tofutop I am going to echo the responses you already have in that one chick is going to get very lonely under normal circumstances and the thought of someone only visiting it once a day to feed it makes me sad, as I am sure it does you, which is why you are posting for help.
I am guessing your little chick is in a brooder or cage of some sort? Is it possible, as fisherlady has suggested, that your neighbour or someone else could take it into their home for you?
Do you have an Avian Vet in close proximity? They may agist the little one for you for a small fee or no fee at all?
Also, a rescue shelter or similar may be able to provide some assistance or advice in these circumstances … they may have someone who would be willing to be a foster parent while you are away?
If you ask around I am sure you will be able to find someone who will look after your little one while you are away rather than have it home alone ... I know I would but I am guessing I am a long way away from where you are.
I am guessing your little chick is in a brooder or cage of some sort? Is it possible, as fisherlady has suggested, that your neighbour or someone else could take it into their home for you?
Do you have an Avian Vet in close proximity? They may agist the little one for you for a small fee or no fee at all?
Also, a rescue shelter or similar may be able to provide some assistance or advice in these circumstances … they may have someone who would be willing to be a foster parent while you are away?
If you ask around I am sure you will be able to find someone who will look after your little one while you are away rather than have it home alone ... I know I would but I am guessing I am a long way away from where you are.
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- #6
Thank you everyone. The chances of getting another chick is very low where I live. We incubated 6 eggs but only 3 made it to lockdown as the rest were unfertilised. Out of these 3, this chick is the only one that hatched. Even pet shops here do not sell chicks, and the only way to get one would be through farms and hatcheries. We have visited a few but none sold chicks.
The chick is a little over a week old, which is why I am worried. I am 15 years old, and my parents have tried to help as much as they can. I have no choice but to leave the chick. If I could have stayed, I would. There would be no hesitation. We recently moved here, which is why we do not have many neighbours we know well enough to ask a favour from. Unfortunately there is nobody who can take care of the chick. We have been looking for the past 2 days.
The chick is a little over a week old, which is why I am worried. I am 15 years old, and my parents have tried to help as much as they can. I have no choice but to leave the chick. If I could have stayed, I would. There would be no hesitation. We recently moved here, which is why we do not have many neighbours we know well enough to ask a favour from. Unfortunately there is nobody who can take care of the chick. We have been looking for the past 2 days.
You are in a tough spot... have you checked here on byc for your state's thread? Most, if not all, states have a thread where people who are more 'local' to each other can chat. Another byc member may be closer than you think.
What state are you in?
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- #8
- Jan 30, 2015
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It may be in the chick's best interest to give it away to one of the farms you visited and start again when you return.
CT
CT
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- #10
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