Mom or Brooder for hatchling with wry neck

[Lehcarjt]

I've got a bit of a dilemna and was hoping for advice from some of you more experienced chicken breeders. This is my second time raising chicks and first time using a hen (silkie). Four eggs, four chicks, but one has wry neck. It could be genetic (I've read silkie's are more prone...), but it also could have been an injury as two eggs hatched two days earlier than the others and this chick was last and likely getting stepped on while under mom. (We started off with two broody mom's, but one deserted her nest so I quickly put the eggs under the other hen)

The chick hatched yesterday and we realized the moment we saw it that something was off. I left her with Mom until this afternoon when Mom deserted her in the nest to chase the other chicks. So I set up the brooder and moved her there. She seems to be doing much better - standing finally and while still off-balance she isn't nearly as bent as the pictures of other chicks I've seen. I even got a bit of save-a-chick into her (and will go get Vit E / Selenium tomorrow).

After all that, my question is about keeping her separate from her mom and siblings. I was thinking it might be better to keep her under Mom during the night and then keep her in the brooder during the day so that she stays a member of the family, but doesn't get trampled or left behind when the other chicks are more active.

What do you think? Good idea or am I worrying needlessly?

If I keep her in the brooder, how long do I have until there is no chance that her mom will take her back?

Thanks!

Rachel

 

[MrsBachbach]

I've got a bit of a dilemna and was hoping for advice from some of you more experienced chicken breeders.  This is my second time raising chicks and first time using a hen (silkie).  Four eggs, four chicks, but one has wry neck.  It could be genetic (I've read silkie's are more prone...), but it also could have been an injury as two eggs hatched two days earlier than the others and this chick was last and likely getting stepped on while under mom.  (We started off with two broody mom's, but one deserted her nest so I quickly put the eggs under the other hen)

The chick hatched yesterday and we realized the moment we saw it that something was off.  I left her with Mom until this afternoon when Mom deserted her in the nest to chase the other chicks.  So I set up the brooder and moved her there.  She seems to be doing much better - standing finally and while still off-balance she isn't nearly as bent as the pictures of other chicks I've seen.  I even got a bit of save-a-chick into her (and will go get Vit E / Selenium tomorrow).

After all that, my question is about keeping her separate from her mom and siblings.  I was thinking it might be better to keep her under Mom during the night and then keep her in the brooder during the day so that she stays a member of the family, but doesn't get trampled or left behind when the other chicks are more active.

What do you think?  Good idea or am I worrying needlessly? 

If I keep her in the  brooder, how long do I have until there is no chance that her mom will take her back?

Thanks!

Rachel

The chick isn't going to do so well raised all by itself (they really need company) so I would keep her with mom and the others as much as possible. I would put it back under mom asap and maybe try giving it the vitamins by dropper during the day. It may be hard for mom to accept chick back if she never sees it during the day. You could very well find it dead if you try to get mom to accept it after it's been gone for a couple of days. Maybe silkies are different, idk, I've never raised them. But have read plenty of horror stories of hens killing chicks that are strange to them.

 

[Lehcarjt]

Thanks. I'll go put her back and perhaps just go back and forth for feedings / giving her a break from her siblings. I feel like she really got a lot stronger on her own without the other chicks knocking her over.

Rachel