Lonely bantam

[Hottest.tot]

Oh man, yesterday was not a good one for me and my babies. 3/4 of my baby bantams are gone. I found one luckily and we are getting so close. I can tell she's sad, anything suggestions on how I can raise her spirits? She calls for the other babies so much. I plan on getting a few more chicks soon after I build something more secure for them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have read a mirror, and a hanging feather duster can comfort them, as well as stuffed animals. Definitely get more chicks. Where are you brooding them where a predator can get them?

 

[Ducklover2]

The poor thing. We had 6 bantams we bought from a friend and 2 died week 1, then more died when we moved them outside. The final 2 were 1 cockerel and 1 pullet they went missing from the run.

 

[Hottest.tot]

I have read a mirror, and a hanging feather duster can comfort them, as well as stuffed animals. Definitely get more chicks. Where are you brooding them where a predator can get them?

In my home, we have a barn behind the house with some horses and rats come with it unfortunately. This is my first time owning chicks, I didn't know rats would get them. Lesson learned

 

[Hottest.tot]

The poor thing. We had 6 bantams we bought from a friend and 2 died week 1, then more died when we moved them outside. The final 2 were 1 cockerel and 1 pullet they went missing from the run.

I feel your pain my lil baby is alone right now and she is miserable

 

[chickendreams24]

You need to put out poison for those rats if you haven't already they may continue to attack your chickens as they mature and even into adulthood.

I'm so very sorry for your losses. Yes spend as much time as possible with your little one a mirror and feather duster and stuffed animals are all good but you need to get more chicks. I would get them asap because it will be hard on the little sebright being alone. It will also be harder if you wait until your chick has grown larger than them to introduce more. Plus chick days in stores don't last forever. I know my local feed store is only getting one more shipment for the year. TSC may get more. Usually chick days around here ends in May.

 

[Hottest.tot]

You need to put out poison for those rats if you haven't already they may continue to attack your chickens as they mature and even into adulthood.

I'm so very sorry for your losses. Yes spend as much time as possible with your little one a mirror and feather duster and stuffed animals are all good but you need to get more chicks. I would get them asap because it will be hard on the little sebright being alone. It will also be harder if you wait until your chick has grown larger than them to introduce more. Plus chick days in stores don't last forever. I know my local feed store is only getting one more shipment for the year. TSC may get more. Usually chick days around here ends in May.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate you. I'm taking care of this as soon as I can. Once they are old enough I'm gonna have a coop outside for them.

 

[chickendreams24]

Make sure your coop is completely rat proof. The rats we had chewed through concrete foundations into our house and main chicken coop
They ate birds alive. Quail were completely consumed except their wing tips pelvis and front of the skull and beak.

Chickens they attacked and ate into their vents eating their innards out. This sometimes killed the birds and sometimes we had to put the birds down. They were also fast, some birds were attacked in as little as half an hour. Juveniles were their main focus but they also killed an adult hen.

We will be repairing and redoing our converted two room main coop this year. The bottom 3 maybe more feet on the inside and outside under the siding will have 1/4 inch hardware cloth. If you make a foundation or lay down pavers for one I recommend incorporating hardware cloth in it too. Don't forget to cover your ventilation and don't leave any open gaps or spaces.