New chick seeking guidance.

[AmberB]

My name is Amber. I have had chickens for a year and a half but am new at hatching chicks. I live in Alabama and have 5 bantams and a mallard. I solely have these chicks and ducks for the love of them. They are like my children. I am seeking knowledge and advice. We naturally hatched chicks recently with great success. I have 1 chick that hatched late and the moms are not taking to it. Help! I have this lone chick under a heat lamp in our house and I need to find a way to get it back with mom. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Pyxis]

!

If the moms aren't taking it, you need to raise it on your own. If they don't want it, they won't take care of it, show it food, keep it warm, etc. And depending on how old it is, it might be too old to imprint on them anyway. I would suggest taking one more chick from the broodies so that it has a buddy, and then when it gets older you can introduce them back to the flock.

And if you only have the one duck, you should get another Ducks need to have friends of their own species to be truly happy.

 

[AmberB]

We did have two ducks and one died suddenly. I will take your advise on the buddy for the new chick. Thank you!

 

[drumstick diva]

Pyxis has given you excellent advice, so I will just say Welcome to Backyard Chickens.
It's nice to meet you Amber.

 

[Leighe]

Pyxis is so right. If hens won't take it it will just die or they might even kill it. Every "late egg" that's hatched for me, if the hen wouldn't take it, I've run down to the feed store and got 6 more chicks to raise it with. Have no clue why I like the number 7, when it comes to chicks, it's not EVEN my favorite number, lol. But somehow I just think 7 chickens have a better chance of integrating into the flock later. They have each other for buddies. Sorry to hear you lost one of your ducks. The downside to raising animals.

 

[AmberB]

Thank you very much for all the advise. We never thought that eggs would make it but, is very rewarding even with the trouble of raising chicks ourselves.

 

[TroisPoulesFrançaises]

Hi Amber, and welcome! It is a real good idea to have a buddy (or 2) for the 'castaway' chick. They can share body heat to keep warm. They can learn communication from each other. If they are kept in another brooder or whatever in relatively close proximity to the rest of the chicks (within peeping distance), they will still communicate with them and the mom, which will help them socialize and become comfortable with one other. Also, they will make their own little peck order, even if just a pair. So, when you reintroduce them to the rest, they can already have their own little support flock. You could try rotating the other chicks for short intervals so they get used to the lone chick at least, even if the mom is not taking. That would probably also help when they get older. This way they will have imprinted each other.
Another idea, maybe try holding the mom and the chick together (maybe a friend can help if the mom is flighty) and speak in soothing tones, or play soothing soft music. They will associate the pleasant tones with you (assuming they are ok with you already) and then with each other, through conditioning. I don't know if there is anything on the forums, but it's worth a shot, a search on conditioning. I had a late chick in with my other chicks (no hen though) and while at first they were unsure who the new chick was, after giving each individual chick time alone with 'new chick,' they seemed to work things out to where now they are all comfortable. It did take a while though. Good luck!