Never again will I let a broody hatch only one chick!!!

[Chickenaddict]

I let one of my hens hatch out a chick about 3 weeks ago out in the garage coop with the rest of the flock and a few other broodies with chicks in tow. I originally had 3 eggs under her but 2 quit about half way thru the incubation. I now am the proud surrogant mother of one loud obnoxiously loud, needy chick who was abandoned by his/her mama. Because it is about 50 degrees in the garage with a heater running I took the chick out of there and brought it inside where I put it in with 2 other chicks about the same age. All didn't go well and they attacked the chick. yesterday I made it up a nice box by itself so I can carry it with me everywhere I go because as soon as the chick looses sight of me it lets out these ear piercing cries until I return. Last night about bed time I took the chick in its box into my bedroom to keep it safe from my young cat whom I don't trust. The chick wouldn't stop peeping so I ended up wrapping it in a fleece blanket and tucking it under my covers in my bed!!!

The chick slept like a baby all night and woke up around 7ish to eat/drink and stretch. How long is this gonna go on? when is it gonna get used to being alone? I have had this happen once before but after a few days the chick ended up joining other chicks a bit older in the brooder with no problems. Again the chick is 3 weeks old maybe a bit older but not completely feathered out. it's an ee/cochin cross and cute as a button. I cut up an old fleece coat and kept the pockets for the chick to crawl into so it felt like it was under mama and the fleece would help retain the heat. Good gravy this one is a chore and apparently I have been giving it far tooo much attention and I shouldn't have. I just feel sooo bad for the poor baby

Any advice on how to handle this situation?

 

[zatsdeb]

maybe you could try putting the chick in with the others again, sometimes under a red light they will not pick I have heard. I had a chick by itself also and put a little statue of a chicken in with it, it had a friend. My hubby said to put them together when it is dark, but you probably have the light on them being as they are little. Thats why I thought about the red light, like a red heat light. The picture is adorable though! you might have a house chicken if you are not careful!! LOL!!

 

[newchickmom09]

Sorry I don't have any good advice for you. I just wanted to say how cute he/she is. It is cute that she thinks you are her mommy.

It might just take time and you will have to deal with loud loud chirping.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I tried the red light and putting the chick in at night neither worked and he got picked on pretty bad so to avoid further injury I opted to take it out. It's growing on me but the headache is not lol. I tried a stuffed beanie baby as well and the chick freaked out even more. Guess it's mama hen duties for me until it is old enough to join the rest of the flock in a few months or so

 

[Happy Chooks]

How adorable. You are going to have a house chicken for sure.


Can you partition off an area with the other chicks so they can see each other, but can't peck?

 

[sonew123]

OMG you have been had!!!n suckerrrrrrr... I wanted to do the same thing but DH wouldnt let me bring him into our bedroom-so we delt with all the peeping screams! He went into the older gang after a few weeks but is attached to me and I love it-hes the only one who lets me rub his belly and back all the time-he is a frizzle--

 

[Chickenaddict]

Yep sure have been had!!! It's ok tho as long as "squirt" is safe and warm with me I guess I have no choice but to deal with it. I have tried to partition an area off in the dog keennel I have the other 2 chicks around his age in but they found a way to knock down the piece of cardboard I had in there to keep them seperate. Right now he is in a clear plastic rubbermaid tub so he can see my every move and when I need to get away or go somewhere I put him in the office next to the dog kennel the others are in. He even goes into the bathroom with me when I shower!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Was the hen finished with tending the chick or did you take it away from her because you thought their room in the garage was too cold? I wouldn't have done that unless the chick seemed really distressed & uncomfortable because its mom wasn't keeping it warm enough. Otherwise I would have trusted the hen to keep herself & her chick warm. Now you need to get this chick to be accepted as part of the other group of chicks, for everyone's peace of mind. I'm sure it will happen eventually, but it may take some time. I'd put them all together in a brooder with a see-through divider, a piece of wire mesh or something, and give them a few days to get acquainted. Meanwhile, hang a feather duster in the orphan chick's side so it can snuggle up under the feathers. Try removing the divider when they have something fun to occupy themselves with, a pan of dirt for scratching, a big clump of grass with the roots to peck at, a handful of cooked pasta, etc.

I wish you all the best of success!

 

[Chickenaddict]

Quote:
The mama was thru with the chick and would jump up on the high roost away from the baby. Everytime I'd go out in the garage because I heard peeping the chick would run to me. I'd put the baby up on the high roost next to mama hen and she'd peck at him until he jumped down. When he jumped down the others went after him so I had no choice but to take him out of harms way. The hen has raised chicks before but never left them before they were fully feathered out. The norm for her is to stick around for about 6 weeks before she goes about her merry way. I think this time because she had only had one chick she cut the time short. She was a great mama reguardless i just wish she would have stuck around a few more weeks but oh well. I will try the wire mesh divider or just keep him in his rubbermaid tub so he can see the others. one of the other chicks isn't mean and actually likes the lil baby but my serama pullet is vicious and keeps going after him like crazy. Maybe I should take out the agro pullet and put her by herself?

 

[WalkingWolf]

Take the light away from the chicks for a short period of time of a night, put your loner in with them in the dark. They will find each other by their cheeps and cuddle up to stay warm. Once they get snuggled turn the light back on. I use a black light bulb or a reptile bulb for chicks of a night, you will need to find a way to hang the bulb above the chicks closer than using the big heat bulb. The reptile bulbs are only 60W so they save electricity but must be closer so the chicks can get warm. During the daytime I switch the bulb for a white bulb to get them active, avoid doing this until the chicks bond.