Little loner

[lostnstars]

Hi,
Today I brought home a 4-5 day old Australorp pullet. Next Saturday I will hopefully be adding a barred rock and an Americauna. Until then, my little Australorp is all alone. She won't stop cheeping! Is it okay that she's alone? I have a lamp on her and she's in a room with several other types of animals so it's not totally lonely or quiet in there.

 

[Old 76 Farm]

Yes, your little one is probably lonely, chickens are such social animals. You might want to try putting a mirror in the brooder till you can get her some friends

 

[Varglet]

Chickens are flock animals, and need other poultry with them, especially baby chicks. Try giving it a mirror, it might calm down a bit. I always get my chicks in pairs, even if the second one is a breed I don't even want.

 

[Ciqala]

Try putting a feather duster in there with her, she'll cuddle right into. I had to do this when I had to separate one that wasn't doing well and it worked like a charm.

 

[lostnstars]

All I had was this feather boa. She was not convinced.

 

[azygous]

Do you have a wool neck scarf? Wrap it loosely around your neck, making a hammock against your chest. Place the lonely chick in this pouch and it will go right to sleep and not utter a peep. Your body heat will keep it at exactly the right temp, and all you need to do is let it run around and poop and eat and drink every hour. Then back into the pouch.

At night, as long as you can sleep on your back, keep it in the pouch under your chin, and the chick will sleep all night.

I know it's a bit of a hassle doing it this way, but it beats all the frantic peeping. And the guilt.

 

[drumstick diva]

Give her a little stuffed toy to cuddle with.

 

[newmarch2014]

I agree a mirror and a stuffed animal (the fuzzier the better) was what I used when I had a sick chick last year that had to be isolated for about 5 days....she was much happier when I added the mirror.

 

[lostnstars]

Oh man. Finally have her mostly asleep. I have a cloth ferret carrier that goes on like a back pack that goes on your front. I stuck a heating disk in there and zipped her up. The whole thing is in my lap right now but I'm hoping she will be happy to learn to sleep in it and I can leave it in the brooder cage. We just need to get through a week!

I don't think I'll make it. I'll probably buy her a buddy on Monday lol.

 

[WalnutHill]

I had a lone turkey poult last year due to an incubator issue and ended up buying half a dozen bantams at TSC to keep him company for 3 weeks (which I later had to rehome as I couldn't move them to the coop with the production layers). He cried like a baby until he had friends, despite trying the usual "substitutes".

And then he adopted the bantys, and would spread his naked little wings to shelter them.