only chick keeps chirping loudly

[tofutop]

Our only chick that survived lockdown keeps chirping loudly and trying to get out of the brooder despite having food, water and warmth. This has been happening for over 3 hours. What are the possible reasons for this? I considered getting a friend for her, but it's almost impossible to buy chicks where I stay. The next earliest time I can buy another chick is a month later.

 

[Percheron chick]

You need to find him a buddy. Put a WTB ad on CL.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chickens are flock animals. That chick is lonely. It needs a companion. Craigslist is a good idea. I’m not sure where you are in the world, but if you can find your state or country thread in the “Where am I? Where are you!” section of this forum you may be able to find a neighbor that can help you out. You can perhaps chat with the people at the feed store, they may know someone that has chicks. If you are in the US you can try calling your County Extension Service office. They might know someone that can help you. Some of these are a stretch but you might get lucky.

In the meantime try putting a mirror in there so it can keep itself company. A small stuffed animal for it to cuddle with can also help.

 

[3riverschick]

Meanwhile, get a clean feather duster ( with real feathers) and put it in there for the chick to snuggle under. It is probably feeling unsafe because it has no where to snuggle.
Best,
Karen

 

[azygous]

You asked why the chick is chirping loudly and persistently. Baby chicks during the first couple weeks are driven by survival instinct to locate other chicks to cuddle up with for warmth and safety. Your chick is madly calling to other chicks it "knows" by instinct are there somewhere, and it's trying to get to them by trying to escape the brooder where it's all alone.

Trying to keep a single chick content is a very demanding job. You need to be very creative while searching for a companion. However, unless you can locate a baby chick that's within the first couple weeks of age, it's not going to be of any real use if the new chick is much older or younger.

You can comfort this chick by letting it snuggle under your chin or next to your chest. Human body temp is precisely the right temperature for a baby chick and it should quiet down if you do this.

I live just outside a very small rural town and we have a local radio station that provides a free pet placement service. You might inquire if yours has such a program and have them put out the call for one or two new baby chicks.

 

[tofutop]

Thank you everyone. I live in Singapore, and it is very hard to get chicks. So far I've only found one place that sells chicks, but the owner of the place says the earliest possible time will be next month. Here we do not have pet placement services, and cannot find chicks even in pet stores. Searches online have not yielded any results.

 

[azygous]

Do you have other pets? Dog? Cat? I'm not advocating tossing the chick in with a dog or cat but it sometimes happens that an animal of another species will adopt a baby chick. It's possible, not probable.

Baby chicks can imprint on another species and will form a bond. It's not the same as having a flock, but it can substitute for it. Single chickens can bond with a goat, a dog, a human.

Or you can search for a wind up fluffy toy that the chick can find comfort from. Even a mirror, as someone already suggested, can fool a chick into thinking another chick is present. I've had somewhat success with a mirror keeping a baby chick content, especially putting the chick food in front of the mirror to encourage the chick to eat.

If you have a heating pad, try fashioning it into a tunnel and scrunch up some soft fabric like velour or polartech so the chick can snuggle against the softness and warmth. If you provide it with darkness and warmth at night, it might be more content than kept under a heat lamp 24/7, and you might be able to get some rest, yourself.

 

[tofutop]

No pets, unless you count fish haha. There already is a mirror in the brooder. She's cheeping less often now, but still as loud as before. We've tried placing in a wind-up toy, but she barely paid attention to it. Most households in Singapore do not own heating pads since the average temperature is 81 degrees. Thank you for all your suggestions. In the meanwhile I'll keep a lookout for chicks on sale.

 

[slng9]

Hi may I ask why you buy your chick?