geminimuse
In the Brooder
- Jul 6, 2023
- 6
- 40
- 44
Hey all, I have some questions about one of my new babies. I had 2 mamas (Mama and Linda) go broody at the same time, Mama sat on the main nest and Linda sat right next to her in solidarity. I tried giving her eggs, but she would abandon them to sit on the main nest when Mama got up to eat. Then she started rolling them over to the main one so I just let her stay. I have 9 chicks that began hatching one week ago today. They were all hatched within 4 days. As soon as the first 2 hatched, Linda adopted them while Mama continued to sit. She adopted the next 3 the next two days and rejected the last 4. So Linda claims the first 5, Mama says they’re all hers.
Anyway, the 3rd or 4th chick born is weird. It is healthy, eating and drinking well, active and a good size. The problem is that it does not seem to want to be with either mama very much. It doesn’t listen to their calls or hang with the group. Each hen has her own little group and they’ll all kind of go back and forth but mostly stay with who they think their mom is. This one just kind of wanders around doing its own thing. It never cries out when it realizes it’s alone like the others. It only peeps when I pick it up. If Mama happens to see it away from her, she will go get it but if she doesn’t, it doesn’t seem to care. I went out today and it was a good 20-30 ft from the rest of the group in the wide open, just scratching in the grass having a good time. The moms have been keeping the babies under cover of trees and shrubs so far. I went to pick it up and it ran straight to Mama, so it knew where she was. It also doesn’t sleep under Mama, but off to her side. She calls to it and nudges it and it sometimes will, but mostly won’t acknowledge her. Usually the nudging only works. Neither hen is rejecting it, whichever one is closest will try to round it up.
I’m worried it’s not going to make it, it has no protection and keeps wandering off from the rest. Is this normal? Could it be deaf or something? It has zero sense of urgency and doesn’t do the squealing, chirpy thing like the rest when they realize they’re a foot from mom, haha. Could it be confused because there are 2 moms and it doesn’t feel bonded to either because they sort of shared it? I was really happy that they’re good moms but I’m worried about this baby.
Anyway, the 3rd or 4th chick born is weird. It is healthy, eating and drinking well, active and a good size. The problem is that it does not seem to want to be with either mama very much. It doesn’t listen to their calls or hang with the group. Each hen has her own little group and they’ll all kind of go back and forth but mostly stay with who they think their mom is. This one just kind of wanders around doing its own thing. It never cries out when it realizes it’s alone like the others. It only peeps when I pick it up. If Mama happens to see it away from her, she will go get it but if she doesn’t, it doesn’t seem to care. I went out today and it was a good 20-30 ft from the rest of the group in the wide open, just scratching in the grass having a good time. The moms have been keeping the babies under cover of trees and shrubs so far. I went to pick it up and it ran straight to Mama, so it knew where she was. It also doesn’t sleep under Mama, but off to her side. She calls to it and nudges it and it sometimes will, but mostly won’t acknowledge her. Usually the nudging only works. Neither hen is rejecting it, whichever one is closest will try to round it up.
I’m worried it’s not going to make it, it has no protection and keeps wandering off from the rest. Is this normal? Could it be deaf or something? It has zero sense of urgency and doesn’t do the squealing, chirpy thing like the rest when they realize they’re a foot from mom, haha. Could it be confused because there are 2 moms and it doesn’t feel bonded to either because they sort of shared it? I was really happy that they’re good moms but I’m worried about this baby.
