New lone baby chick owner. Help!

[Hal682]

Aloha friends, I’m writing from the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

Just became the owner of a single, baby black chick that doesn’t seem to be more than a week old. Wing feathers aren’t even in yet.

It’s late Saturday night as I write this, and my baby chicky is in a small cardboard box with a rag for flooring. He’s wrapped up nice and snug inside a small towel and seems to be alseep for the night. I have a heat lamp currently on that isn’t shining into the box, but is about 0.5 inches from the outside of the box, heating up one surface.

Don’t really have access to much materials at home. Here’s what I need help with:

What do I buy to build a brooder that will help this lone chick thrive, not just survive?

I’ve done some research already, but would appreciate your insight. PS I’m wanting to build a heating pad “cave” that mimics the mama hen instead of using a heat lamp.

Pine shavings, chick starter, water and food feeders,...what else?

thanks in advance!

I had resued one very young that got badly hurt..heat is a must. And sounds funny but I have him a beanie baby to snuggle up to..he was with that beanie babies til he grew big enough then he hung out with me and the dogs til I could reintroduce him to the flock..I also had just two young ones..I have them a small box inside their cage and a baby blanket..they were not in need of heat lamp though. It was hot summer months then..but it helped them generate heat when sleeping

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Welcome to BYC and good luck with your orphan!

 

[DogAndCat36]

Aloha friends, I’m writing from the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

Just became the owner of a single, baby black chick that doesn’t seem to be more than a week old. Wing feathers aren’t even in yet.

It’s late Saturday night as I write this, and my baby chicky is in a small cardboard box with a rag for flooring. He’s wrapped up nice and snug inside a small towel and seems to be alseep for the night. I have a heat lamp currently on that isn’t shining into the box, but is about 0.5 inches from the outside of the box, heating up one surface.

Don’t really have access to much materials at home. Here’s what I need help with:

What do I buy to build a brooder that will help this lone chick thrive, not just survive?

I’ve done some research already, but would appreciate your insight. PS I’m wanting to build a heating pad “cave” that mimics the mama hen instead of using a heat lamp.

Pine shavings, chick starter, water and food feeders,...what else?

thanks in advance!

The chick will not thrive no matter what if it is solitary. Even if you raised it indoors with you the chick will be lonely. They NEED other chickens, at least 2 more. You should get 2 young chicks for him. Do not get older ones and just throw them together because they could get him sick or peck him to death. Make sure to quarantine the new chickens if you can.

 

[Ruthster55]

Is this possibly a nestling of the feral chickens from Kauai that somehow got separated from the mother hen? Where did you find it? Are there feral chickens nearby?

I definitely think that your chick needs some chick friends the same age. Do you have any feed stores nearby that would still be selling chicks, given that it's still warm in Hawaii?

 

[Aapomp831]

Sorry I have to disagree. There is grit sold at my farm store specially designed for baby chicks. What happens if there is a mom hen and her hatched babies eat with her?

Designed for chicks.... not first hatched baby chicks. It’s not good for them- they only need it when they start to eat things other than their food.

 

[Jabebee13]

Designed for chicks.... not first hatched baby chicks. It’s not good for them- they only need it when they start to eat things other than their food.

Okay. Not day or week olds. Got it. Thanks. For your time.

 

[Aapomp831]

Okay. Not day or week olds. Got it. Thanks. For your time.

https://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com/chicken-feed/chicken-grit-grit-for-baby-adult-chickens/

This is a very informative article that explains it a little better.

 

[KilbournFarmhouse]

Congrats!

You could use something like a large storage tote bin as a brooder. We did this with our small flock of chicks for the first few weeks and it worked well.

I made sure to have common meds and chicken first aid supplies on hand as well, as I live in the city and had to order some because they were not readily available close by. I haven't needed them yet, but have seen several other chicken owners locally searching for some items urgently when illness or injury was an issue and they couldn't find what they needed locally.

 

[ackie]

Any type of box can be used for a brooder. If you give it a mesh floor, your chickie will eat less of its own poop. If that's not available, I'd suggest trash bags or some type of plastic as the floor for easy cleaning (just replace it). You mentioned pine shavings and that's great if you do have access to it. It's just important to keep the cage clean while the chick is building up an immune system.

I second that chick grit is unnecessary if you only feed chick starter. I've never used it but I also dont give any treats, veggies, scratch, anything.

When we had a lone peachick, it bonded to us strongly and we played cartoons for it. We had other chicks to give it shortly after, but that may work as a stopgap for now.

I'm sure I had other things to say. I know you are focused on thrive, but with limited resources, maybe you should just focus on survive and then add some enrichment things after heat, food and water are covered. I'm not saying you cant handle all of it, but it does seem kinda overwhelming to do everything all at once.