please help! broody mom rejected ONE chick!

sunket77

Songster
10 Years
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
955
Reaction score
6
Points
141
Location
Texas Hill Country!
I have a silkie that went broody and hatched 3 chicks over a period of three days. The first two to hatch where her own eggs and the last was a little japanese. The little jap almost didn't make it because one it was ready and chirping in the egg she decided to get off the nest to show the other two how to eat and scratch. So I put the little egg in the incubator and it hatched by morning (Sunday) Once it was fairly fluffed out by the afternoon I put it under her with the other two. She has been just fine with it until this afternoon (Monday) I was happy to see they where all getting along and then all the sudden she started pecking him! The poor little guy had to hide under her and keep out of site. But when he/she comes out to eat she goes after him again! The last time knocked him across the brooder! Well I scooped him up and have him, keeping him warm. I have a small bird cage I can put him in but I am so worried he will get very lonely and chirp all the time. Should I maybe put her back outside and put him in with the other two chicks? I was hoping to watch her raise them but I have to do whats best for all of them. The other two get along fine with him. What do you guys think???
 
I have never had a broody hen before, but I would never want to raise just one chick separately. If you think it will live, if it were me, I would either hurriedly buy another day old chick for it to have a friend, or take all the chicks and put 'em in a brooder.

I have noticed in my own chick raising that the chickens get along with each other much better if they were raised together from chicks. If you are to have a small flock, this might affect your decision. (So you don't have integration issues later.)
 
I think I have decided to go ahead and put the mom back in with her flock. I discovered she has lice anyway and needs to be treated, I am going to have to find out if lice will live on chicks this young. good thing the brooder is plastic it will be easy to wash out!
 
Ooo..I'm sorry to hear about the lice. Lice will live on chicks. It is not as hard as It sounds to get rid of. My whole flock used to have it and I treated them all by putting sevin dust on them every few weeks for a month or two. Good luck with the lice and chicks!(:
 
sorry, I posted this twice
hu.gif
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom