Lone 8 day old orpington peeping REALLY LOUDLY!

[sodinedia]

Hi,
This is our first and only chick (the other eggs did not hatch), it is in a brooder with sand bedding in the garage with clean water and food, both of which it goes to regularly without problems and has a heated area at about 93 to 98 degrees that it goes under whenever it wants.
My two daughters go in there throughout the day; we all handle it gently every time we check on it, and while it does runaway from our hands peeping loudly, it will sometimes calm down when we are holding it, but not always. It has also started trying to get out by flapping it's little wings and jumping up. My husband even put a mirror in there to give it something to look at besides gray plastic walls and we leave a light on all the time. I don't speak chicken and am not familiar enough with them to understand what their behaviour means. it seems to peep really loudly at times and I don't see any problems. Is it possible that it's lonely being the only chick and not having nest mates or us around all the time? Do they get bored? I've always been a cat/dog person, so my instinct is to give it a toy or something!

Also, is it ok to leave for two days out of town? My husband doesn't seems concerned, but I guess I'm already a mother hen!

 

[sumi]

It's lonely. Chicks hate being alone and chickens in general are much happier in pairs or groups. Can you get another chick to keep it company? It doesn't have to be the same age.

 

[Habibs Hens]

Orpington's are known for loneliness

put in a cuddly toy or get it mates which is better

and leaving for 2 days can be an issue

who will water and feed the chick?

 

[sodinedia]

yes, we will be getting more eggs, but until then no. I guess we will spend more time with it, maybe bring it into the house.
As far as leaving it for two days, it has a full feeder and water bottle with nipple. It's more like a day and a one night that it will be alone.

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

yes, we will be getting more eggs, but until then no. I guess we will spend more time with it, maybe bring it into the house.
As far as leaving it for two days, it has a full feeder and water bottle with nipple. It's more like a day and a one night that it will be alone.


I would get it a friend or two so it isn't lonely. I would not leave a baby chick home alone for 2 days...what if the water ran out or the food spilled or got pooped in, or the heat lamp stopped working or made it too hot, or the test-flying worked and she got out but couldn't get back in...so many things could go wrong. I recently had to leave for 4 day when my 8 baby chicks were 5 weeks old...I took them with us! Your one baby chick could easily go with you.

Here is my blog post about vacationing with your chicks: http://backyardchickenlady.blogspot.com/2013/05/vacationing-with-your-peeps-traveling.html

 

[Mary Coleman]

I completely agree it's lonely if your feed store has chicks GET ONE or possibly two. Then she will be much happier

 

[khoe]

She needs a friend!! Chickens are flock animals and get veryyyy lonely. It is probably stressful for her to be alone. Leaving for 2 days is not good for a chick, especially that young. When preparing for chicks I read to not plan vacations because you need to check on them 5 times a day or so. Can you give the chick to someone that has other chicks?

 

[K R 2709]

I think that Orps are a noisy breed anyways my Orp chick has lots of buddies and is still a loud and shrill peeper

 

[3riverschick]

Contact your local 4H and see if they have a senior member who would be willing to stop by and check on your chick. Perhaps a neighbor who could drop by a couple of times a day and check on it? Put a bend hardware cloth to fit for a cover on the brooder so the chick can't fly out. Light is in the air above the hardware cloth cover, shining down thru it.
Karen