Mama abandoned chick

[Lavender6]

Good morning everyone, it is been a long time since I've been on here. I still come to find out and learn from you ladies and gentlemen.
I have a problem I've never dealt with before.. I went out to put the chickens up last night and there was a single chick running around crying for her mama. I have trouble with Hawks and I thought maybe a hawk had gotten her. I was stressed myself and was ready to give up and I saw her down in my garden.
I took the baby chick down to her and she ran. She ran in the coop and then got on the roost, I put the chick up beside of her and she started pecking it.
I picked her up, I had the chick already and I took them in my little medical place and put them both in a box together. It was night time so I just turned off the light and went to bed. This morning I get up and feed them and I hear the baby crying. I go in and she's pecking it fiercely.
I tried to put the chick under some other mothers because I have several chickens that have babies at different stages of life. None would have her. She is so pitiful by herself. At this point I have no idea what to do.
I have 23 Appenzeller Spitzhauben and seabright in the brooder that are 8 weeks old. This little chick is only about 3 weeks. Could someone give me some advice on what to do? Thank you already.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Give her a little stuffed animal and a mirror so she won't feel alone and raise her yourself. She's too young to add to the 8-week olds. In a normal year I'd say go to your feed store and buy her some companions but this is not a normal year, chicks are getting sold out almost as fast as the doors open.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had a couple of hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks of age. The hen decided the chicks could make it on their own with the weather and with the flock and the chicks did fine. I had multiple chicks with those broodies so it was not a single chick left on its own like yours. I had a lot of room outside of the coop as well as inside of the coop. The hens were raising them with the flock so the chicks were already integrated.

A single chick is harder. I have no idea what would have happened if you had left it alone to try to work things out itself. But now that it has been attacked by the flock you can't try that.

You can try integrating it with the 8 week olds. It is possible they will accept it but there is also a good chanced they will kill it. If you try that you certainly have to pay attention and be ready to intercede. You can try getting day olds from a feed store and integrating it with them. That might work or the chick may try to kill them.

You can try raising it by itself and integrating it later. A mirror and stuffed animal often help. The chick will probably imprint on you instead of other chickens so you are likely to have a lap chicken but many people really like having those.

Try posting on the Kentucky chat thread in the "Where am I? Where are you!" section of this forum and chat with your neighbors. Maybe someone has some 3 week olds they will sell you.

Go to the "Buy-Sell-Trade" section of this forum and post an ad for 3 week olds. Include your location in the thread title to try to attract the attention of your neighbors.

Good luck with this. A single chick can be a challenge but many people on here manage.