mama abandoned possible blindchick

[Tacampbell1973]

Hello everyone,
I am reposting this thread here in hopes of more views

I am in great need of help. I have nearly thirty assorted poultry, all bantam chickens and some guinea, and am into my second year of chickens, but have a problem. I have hatched successfully 7 or so small (3-7) clutches of chicks this year. This is the last hen and last batch for the year, and of course the first problem...Mama is a seasoned hen, about 4 years and tough as beef jerky but usually an exceptional mama. Of the six eggs she started with, one hatched almost two full days ago, three were determined rotten and the last two I thought were OK. Today I checked on mama, baby Half Pint, and both eggs about every few hours...I went out at about 3 pm to find a soggy dead newborn outside the nest box in the banty brooding barn...I picked it up and I would have swore on a stack of bibles it was dead, cold, no discernible heart beat, nothing. I was bummed but I figured mom must have got scared and kicked it out. so brought it in and put it on a cloth on the table to go find something to bury it in. about a half hour later, husband came home from work and I went to show him dead baby. I rubbed a finger over its belly to show my husband that I couldn't find peck marks to indicate how it died and I ll be ****** if its legs didn't flex...In a huge hurry now, I blow dried it dry and set it up with a hot pad. My last warmer lamp burned out and was fixing to replace it in the next couple days. So as baby got dry and warm it finally looked like it was going to make it. I figured the best thing for it was to put it back with mama and let her do her job. wrong. I ran to town for groceries and came right home no more than an hour or so and baby was in a corner of nest box and mom in other corner. She didn't want it. I brought it back in and decided to brood it myself. Well I had no other choice. I cant for the life of me guess why the hen didn't want it. It is worth mention though that it hasn't opened it's eyes on its own yet. I gently cleaned them, but I think he has albumin crusting them both. I think he has been through enough today. so I also cleaned off his vent to prevent the pasties and gave him water. other than that, I am stumped . is it possible his mama will ever take him back? he is only a day old and if he lives, which I am trying but am not deluding myself , he is going to be lonely. his sibling is two days older. any thoughts? all the posts about orphaned chicks seem to be about orphaned multiples or older singles...I am doing everything I know, but would sure appreciate any solid advice. Thank you.

 

[chicmom]

How is the little chickie doing now? I think sometimes they need to just lay in their incubator and rest, and then the eyes may open......If you don't have an incubator handy, I'm sure you can just keep it warm and see what happens.

Maybe the mother hen will accept it if it perks up and seems like a normal chick. But sometimes, the mother knows when something is wrong......

So I would just wait and see how the little chick does. If it perks up and the mother still won't accept it, maybe you could just take one of her babies and brood them together yourself, so the single chick isn't lonely.....

 

[Tacampbell1973]

Hi chicmom,
still not a huge difference. but I refuse to give up. I guess if it stays blind I will have to raise it inside. I cant imagine how scary it would be to be alittle chicken outside and hear a hawk call and you cant see which way to run.l;ittle Miracle is a fighter though. if she/he would just get a little stronger I could try either her mama or i have twomore hens with small chicks. she hasjut been throghsuch a rough patch I don't thoink she would survive another round of rejection. I don't know what more I can do but cross fingers and hope for whatever is best for her. if she is going to die, let it be painless and quick. and I am not doing it. I cant. I had a guinea keet a few months ago that injured its neck and it lingered for three days before succumbing. I couldn't handle the methods everyone said to try. I am just a softhearted wimp. still trying to gently open her eyelids. I was afraid at first that maybe she didn't have eyeballs or something. I still can't figure why she refuses to open her eyes.They are intact and don't look irritated.
Sorry I just took a break and checked on livestock. its pouring rain here and I have two mommas out there with small chicks. Wanted to get them into the banty barn. Upon looking this little sick kid over today, I really don't think its going to make it through another day. It seems weaker today somehow even after a full nights rest. It still has never opened its eyes and barely pottied. Still drinks ok though so am keeping it hydrated. That's about all I can do. Hope you are having a good day. and thankis again for caring. Take care.
Theresa

 

[Tacampbell1973]

Hello again all,
Just wanted to post a quick update on little "miracle". As I suspected would happen (and Im sure whoever read my post did too) she died this afternoon snuggled up on a heating pad and comfortable and warm. I don't know how the hens know ahead of time which chicks will make it and which won't but I know my Begawky hen was shaking her head at my futile attempts to nurse a little fuzzball chick that she already knew was doomed. One of these days I will actually start realizing that a) there is a force at work that is beyond my comprehension and B) not everyone or everything wants to or needs to be saved. I do appreciate everyones suggestions and even just to haave someone else worry for a half a second with me made it a little easier. Again I am a big wimp and it still hurts every time I lose a chick. I don't think it will ever not. I do know that it is for the best though as she was either destined to be sickly or blind or both. Anyway, thanks again/.