One Baby, No Momma! Please help!

[AmyJane725]

I would go back out with the chick holding it to keep it warm. Try to get the broody to follow you back in the yard. Then let the broody have the chick. She will probably take it under her and care for it. Don’t keep trying to trap or catch the broody. Put food and water out for her and the chick. I hope this works out for you.

Mom is extremely flighty. She won't follow a human, even if the person is holding the chick.

She showed up outside the run a few minutes ago, trying to get in. Mom and I tried to let her in, but she flew away when we tried to unlatch the door. At this point I have the door unlatched and a string tied to it. When/if she shows up at the door again I'm going to try to pull the door open with the string and see if she'll go in.

In the meantime, the baby is happy enough if it's out of the brooder with me, so I can raise it if I have to, but I'd really like to get the momma back with the baby.

 

[WIchickMama]

Getting chick and mama back together would be best, sooner than later. Can you sit out there with baby in the run, so mama hears, and have your mom hiding around a corner so that she can close the door as soon as mama gets in?

Mama will keep it warm and give it food if it can't reach. They will even break it down for them if it is too big and either put it on the ground or let them eat it from their mouth. I have babies that just hatched this weekend and it is in the 40s today and mama hen has all 3 outside and they will be out for a bit and then go under to warm up. Mama hen should keep baby safe from other chickens if they get too curious.

 

[AmyJane725]

Getting chick and mama back together would be best, sooner than later. Can you sit out there with baby in the run, so mama hears, and have your mom hiding around a corner so that she can close the door as soon as mama gets in?

Mama will keep it warm and give it food if it can't reach. They will even break it down for them if it is too big and either put it on the ground or let them eat it from their mouth. I have babies that just hatched this weekend and it is in the 40s today and mama hen has all 3 outside and they will be out for a bit and then go under to warm up. Mama hen should keep baby safe from other chickens if they get too curious.

My mom has to work and can't sit out there for hours unfortunately. This mom doesn't just come running the second she hears the baby. She has to take her own time coming back around again. This isn't a quick easy thing.

Momma is basically the bottom of the pecking order, and she's a very small bantam, so I kind of doubt her ability to defend the baby from the rest of the flock. Plus it's raining. It's going to rain now for the next four months at least. So cold and windy and wet. And their "nest" is going to end up all muddy. I really think a nice warm dry brooder away from the others would be better for them both. I honestly believe the baby will die if left outside.

 

[WIchickMama]

My mom has to work and can't sit out there for hours unfortunately. This mom doesn't just come running the second she hears the baby. She has to take her own time coming back around again. This isn't a quick easy thing.

Momma is basically the bottom of the pecking order, and she's a very small bantam, so I kind of doubt her ability to defend the baby from the rest of the flock. Plus it's raining. It's going to rain now for the next four months at least. So cold and windy and wet. And their "nest" is going to end up all muddy. I really think a nice warm dry brooder away from the others would be better for them both.

Just a question-please do not take offense, just asking to give us more information to help give you suggestions. Do you not have an enclosed area for the chickens to nest down? Are you able to cover the run with plastic to keep the wind/rain out? Just thoughts here.... Did mama hen hatch the chick outside of the run/coop area or within those boundaries?

and yes it seems as if a nice warm brooder away from the rest of the flock would be nice BUT if she is already at the bottom of the pecking order getting her and baby back integrated into the flock will take a LOT of time and effort.

 

[AmyJane725]

Just a question-please do not take offense, just asking to give us more information to help give you suggestions. Do you not have an enclosed area for the chickens to nest down? Are you able to cover the run with plastic to keep the wind/rain out? Just thoughts here.... Did mama hen hatch the chick outside of the run/coop area or within those boundaries?

and yes it seems as if a nice warm brooder away from the rest of the flock would be nice BUT if she is already at the bottom of the pecking order getting her and baby back integrated into the flock will take a LOT of time and effort.

There are nest boxes built into the coop. However, the girls seem to prefer this black plastic stool I have outside to help me step up into the coop. I could move that inside I suppose.

I could try covering the run with plastic? It would require at least 5 big blue tarps to do so. Would the lack of ventilation be a problem? Plus the lack of light? Do they make clear blue tarps?

Mom hatched the chick inside the run. (Most likely under the black stool).

I considered the whole re-integration thing when I initially decided to bring them inside, and I decided that would be easier to do that than to have them live out the rainy season out there. I have a large cage inside the run where they could be safe from the others, but still "mingling" until the rest lost interest in them. This is of course outside the coop though, and still weather susceptible. Don't get me wrong, I can see both sides of it, and I was tempted to just put separate food and water in there and lock it up, but I guess the weather scared me too much. I probably screwed up, which feels even worse, but I just did what I thought was best at the time. I still don't know. I just want them warm and safe inside with me, and when the baby is bigger and the weather has improved I could move them back out again.

I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be stubborn or difficult or anything. Mom and I both feel terrible about this entire thing and it's really hard and embarrassing to admit on the internet, where things live forever. And I really enjoy this community, and I don't want everyone secretly (or not secretly, though secretly would be worse) thinking poorly of me. I probably created a problem where none existed, and now I feel like an idiot. But at the same time, I really believe in doing the best I possibly can for my birds, and I know that if I left them out there, and the baby died, I'd have horrible guilt over it and I'd be calling myself stupid and lazy for not bringing them inside when I had the chance. And I'd be constantly worried about what was happening out there.

 

[WIchickMama]

There are nest boxes built into the coop. However, the girls seem to prefer this black plastic stool I have outside to help me step up into the coop. I could move that inside I suppose.

I could try covering the run with plastic? It would require at least 5 big blue tarps to do so. Would the lack of ventilation be a problem? Plus the lack of light? Do they make clear blue tarps?

Mom hatched the chick inside the run. (Most likely under the black stool).

I considered the whole re-integration thing when I initially decided to bring them inside, and I decided that would be easier to do that than to have them live out the rainy season out there. I have a large cage inside the run where they could be safe from the others, but still "mingling" until the rest lost interest in them. This is of course outside the coop though, and still weather susceptible. Don't get me wrong, I can see both sides of it, and I was tempted to just put separate food and water in there and lock it up, but I guess the weather scared me too much. I probably screwed up, which feels even worse, but I just did what I thought was best at the time. I still don't know. I just want them warm and safe inside with me, and when the baby is bigger and the weather has improved I could move them back out again.

I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be stubborn or difficult or anything. Mom and I both feel terrible about this entire thing and it's really hard and embarrassing to admit on the internet, where things live forever. And I really enjoy this community, and I don't want everyone secretly (or not secretly, though secretly would be worse) thinking poorly of me. I probably created a problem where none existed, and now I feel like an idiot. But at the same time, I really believe in doing the best I possibly can for my birds, and I know that if I left them out there, and the baby died, I'd have horrible guilt over it and I'd be calling myself stupid and lazy for not bringing them inside when I had the chance. And I'd be constantly worried about what was happening out there.

Absolutely get all of this. Could you plastic off part of the run, just to provide some shelter, not only mama hen and baby but the other birds as well. Do you have room for a crate/cage in the coop that you can put mama and baby in for a few days so they can imprint on each other (fingers crossed she comes back soon)?

Don't ever feel like an idiot--you were doing what you thought was the best thing, we have all done it (and still do it!) that is why we are hear to gain support, insight and thoughts on maybe alternative ways to try and hear about things that have failed for others.

And please don't take this as me being insensitive at all, but sometimes no matter how hard you try to 'help' out babies will die and they will die if you don't assist, it is kinda the way of the world. Some choose to bring birds in and some do not, we all raise our flocks differently, you need to figure out what works best for you. But also know that mama hens are pretty smart, but if it turns out that she wasn't a good mama then you know and can watch for her sitting next time and break her from broodiness and not let her hatch. Don't be too hard on yourself, you are doing great

 

[fluffy07]

I so sympathize with you! It's agonizing when a chick is left motherless! I can tell your heart is bleeding, but don't lose faith! I have had to bring up two motherless lone chicks this year and both thrived. First thing is company. Carry it around with you as much as possible, and talk to it. If you have a top with big pockets you can pop it in there. It needs to feed every 20 minutes, so take it out of your pocket and offer it some chick crumbs on a warm surface, or in the brooder. If it is not drinking, just push its beak into a tiny tray of water. It will normally swallow. The water must be shallower than its legs, say one inch. It will need to sleep every 20 minutes so just hold it close to your body and see whether the eyes are closing. You can then pop it in your pouch. It will tell you when it wakes again. At night I used a sheepskin hat with a furry edge to act as a 'nest'. I placed it upside down under the brooder lamp and the chicks snuggled in and slept. I know this sounds like a lot of time, but, by 4 weeks, the chick will be more independent and able to manage in the brooder without you.

 

[Tonyroo]

The chick needs time to know you, it doesn't happen in a few days.

 

[fluffy07]

Mom is extremely flighty. She won't follow a human, even if the person is holding the chick.

She showed up outside the run a few minutes ago, trying to get in. Mom and I tried to let her in, but she flew away when we tried to unlatch the door. At this point I have the door unlatched and a string tied to it. When/if she shows up at the door again I'm going to try to pull the door open with the string and see if she'll go in.

In the meantime, the baby is happy enough if it's out of the brooder with me, so I can raise it if I have to, but I'd really like to get the momma back with the baby.

 

[AmyJane725]

Absolutely get all of this. Could you plastic off part of the run, just to provide some shelter, not only mama hen and baby but the other birds as well. Do you have room for a crate/cage in the coop that you can put mama and baby in for a few days so they can imprint on each other (fingers crossed she comes back soon)?

Don't ever feel like an idiot--you were doing what you thought was the best thing, we have all done it (and still do it!) that is why we are hear to gain support, insight and thoughts on maybe alternative ways to try and hear about things that have failed for others.

And please don't take this as me being insensitive at all, but sometimes no matter how hard you try to 'help' out babies will die and they will die if you don't assist, it is kinda the way of the world. Some choose to bring birds in and some do not, we all raise our flocks differently, you need to figure out what works best for you. But also know that mama hens are pretty smart, but if it turns out that she wasn't a good mama then you know and can watch for her sitting next time and break her from broodiness and not let her hatch. Don't be too hard on yourself, you are doing great

I can put plastic on part of it. I still have to go back and fix my watering system since the hose burst, so while I'm up there I can rig up a tarp. I'm pretty dang sure the mom and baby are already imprinted on each other. No issue there. I just need to get the mom back.

The coop does have room for a crate/cage. I had some that I had used for bigger chicks in the past and stored, but when I went to get one it was covered in mouse poop (and I won't want that near my birds, so those are a no-go). I'm between jobs right now, so money is pretty tight, so I didn't want to order another one if I didn't have to. Plus it was a large dog crate, so the baby can run out of the bars. I mean, hopefully the baby wouldn't leave if the mom was in there. I just worry. *sigh* I usually keep chicks inside for a few weeks at least, then move them out to the coop when they're too big to squeeze through the bars anymore. Then they live inside the coop crate until they're big enough/the other chickens are ok with them. Do you have any kind of a crate you could link me to that is baby-proof?

And yeah, no insensitivity taken. Sometimes babies are just going to die. I understand. I just wanted to give it every chance and not have the possibility of getting all wet and dying from cold out in the wind. I mean, all that would have to happen is being caught in the rain and not being able to get dry again and it's all over. The thought of that sweet little baby dying from the cold was too much for me to bear.

I think she has been a good momma so far (aside from the freaking out and abandoning the baby thing...but it's not really her fault). If this had happened in spring or summer I'd have been sorely tempted to just let them be. I'd have at least watched them for longer to see if it seemed like the other chickens were going to be cool about it.