Loner Chick

[weimlikeschicks]

Hi, everyone. Love this site, and so glad I found it.

I am raising chicks (this is my first time doing it alone and as an adult), with the goal of establishing a flock of mostly laying hens.
I currently have three pullets, two Ameraucanas and a Rhode Island Red, about a week and a half old. I have ten Buff Orpingtons reserved from a local farmer that I'll be picking up this evening. They are two or three days younger, and straight run.

My question is about one of the Ameraucana pullets. It seems like the Red and the other Ameraucana are good friends, while the third chick is somewhat of a loner. She isn't quite as active as the others, sleeps more, and seems to be the odd man out. She doesn't look injured, her vent is clear, she eats and drinks, just is no where near as active as the other two.

I really appreciate any advice, even if it's just to reassure me that she is ok just docile, or if I have to cull her. Thanks!

 

[aoxa]

They are still young, so unless she looks ill to you, let her be. I have three mottled houdans that were not nearly as active as the others. Sometimes it's just their individual personalities. I have older chickens just like that. As long as they interact somewhat, I wouldn't worry about it yet.

Any signs of blindness at all? The older hen I find is a loner and quiet is blind in one eye, so she can't keep up as fast as the others.

 

[weimlikeschicks]

Thanks for the reply!

I do honestly think that she is probably alright, just more laid back than the others. The Red and the other Ameraucana just seem uninterested in really being around her so I started thinking maybe they were trying to tell me something. Over thinking for sure, but you guys know how it is when you bring them home for the first time.

A couple other things I noticed: I believe I already said she sleeps allot more than the others, but she also does so by herself usually. Even if all three are asleep two will be together and she will be alone. She was also breathing with her mouth open yesterday, but that is the only time I saw her do that. It might not have been breathing per se, but that is the best way to describe how she looked.

She doesn't look Ill, no loss of feathers or anything, no obvious injuries, and the other two aren't picking on her really; it's just she's a pariah.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks for the reply!

I do honestly think that she is probably alright, just more laid back than the others.  The Red and the other Ameraucana just seem uninterested in really being around her so I started thinking maybe they were trying to tell me something.  Over thinking for sure, but you guys know how it is when you bring them home for the first time. 

A couple other things I noticed: I believe I already said she sleeps allot more than the others, but she also does so by herself usually.  Even if all three are asleep two will be together and she will be alone.  She was also breathing with her mouth open yesterday, but that is the only time I saw her do that.  It might not have been breathing per se, but that is the best way to describe how she looked.  

She doesn't look Ill, no loss of feathers or anything, no obvious injuries, and the other two aren't picking on her really; it's just she's a pariah.

As chicks, if they breathe through their mouth it usually means they are hot. The less heat you have on them, the more active they are. You do not need to have it as hot as they tell you to. My chicks are 2 1/2 weeks old and I have them down to maybe 75 - they overheat if it's any higher.

 

[weimlikeschicks]

Thank you for that tip, I had started to wonder what wiggle room there was with heat, as it seemed like they were fine at a range of temps. They spent about thirty minutes outside today, about 80 degrees and seemed to really dig it. The 'loner' chick isn't so alone anymore, we just added 10 new chicks that are about a week younger than the original three.

I think she might just be younger than the other two, although she is older than the new chicks.

The new ones are Buff Orpingtons (8) and Bantams (2), all straight run. The Bantams were something of an impulse purchase; the breeder had some gorgeous birds and basically we couldn't help it lol. I wish I could remember the name of the breed... It was a couple words long and the second word started with a 'C'. The have furry feet

Roo was dark brown and hen was brown with a really really cool design in black. I'm off to the breed section to see if I can't ID them.

 

[weimlikeschicks]

Partridge Cochin Bantams

 

[aoxa]

Thank you for that tip, I had started to wonder what wiggle room there was with heat, as it seemed like they were fine at a range of temps. They spent about thirty minutes outside today, about 80 degrees and seemed to really dig it. The 'loner' chick isn't so alone anymore, we just added 10 new chicks that are about a week younger than the original three. I think she might just be younger than the other two, although she is older than the new chicks. The new ones are Buff Orpingtons (8) and Bantams (2), all straight run. The Bantams were something of an impulse purchase; the breeder had some gorgeous birds and basically we couldn't help it lol. I wish I could remember the name of the breed... It was a couple words long and the second word started with a 'C'. The have furry feet Roo was dark brown and hen was brown with a really really cool design in black. I'm off to the breed section to see if I can't ID them.

Like this? Although mine is standard size. She is indeed a Partridge Cochin (as mentioned above). They are excellent mothers, and one of the friendliest (as I've heard), though mine is not any more than other breeds, but if handled from chicks, they are very personable. I bought mine when she was maybe 7 months old. I can never help it either Guess that's how I went from 4 to 21 + 11 chicks

 

[weimlikeschicks]

Yep that's exactly what she looked like, except smaller obviously. In my opinion they are gorgeous birds, yours especially. I did hear they were good mothers and handled well from the breeder, I'm glad you could verify that for me

I am planning on quail next year and the breeder I bought them from said he used his Partridge Cochin Bantam hen to brood his quail eggs. Even if that isn't how it ends up working out I still wanted them for their beauty and to add some variety.

Very pretty bird, Aoxa. You should be proud.