regected week-and-a half-old chick

[greengelfling]

Three of my austrolorpe hens (the mama and two others) are being exceptional mommies to eight out of nine baby chicks. But the other one...yikes! They chase it and peck it until it's covered in wicked wounds and scabs. At first, I tried sticking it back in with its siblings and mommies at night, hoping they'd just get used to this ninth chick. But now the rejected fuzzball is covered in really nasty wounds (I can see connective tissue). I thought the reason they rejected it was that it might be sick, so I isolated it with me today--and it doesn't seem sick at all! I took it down to the orchard with me and it followed me around as I was weeding, just as full of energy as a chick can be (soooo cute).

So I'm wondering--what's up with this baby? It's the only austrolorpe baby--the others are yellows and browns--so it's the only black one...but the mommies are all austrolorpes as well. It's the smallest of the bunch--but there's ample food available, so I'd think that would be okay. For the first week, the little one was reasonably accepted...but now I've had to keep it in the house (where he tried to adopt my cat as a new mom, much to her chagrin) unless I'm in the garden. He SEEMS perfectly healthy(other than those wounds...but lonely. He is terrified every time I bring him close to the chicken area (or anywhere my chickens roam).

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm worried about his wounds, though those seem to be healing much better than I could have dreamed. What should I do about those? It really seems like he needs to somehow re-integrate with the flock...but maybe that's not such a great idea?

 

[chickenzoo]

I would keep him seperated until he gets older,and can fend for himself. Keep the wounds clean and put a little neosporin on it. If he gets to lonely snag one of the other chicks or two to keep him comfy. It will be easier to reintroduce three younger chickens back into the flock then just the one by itself.

 

[greengelfling]

Thanks! I'll get a couple buddies for him tonight...and some neosporin! Gosh those little chicks are resilient!

 

[birdlover]

Awww, that's so sad. Bless you for helping him out! PLEASE keep us updated on how things are going. Do you have a nice warm light for them to snuggle under? Don't be surprised if the other 2 chicks cry for a day or so. They've already bonded with their mom but they'll get over it!! It's good you're getting the little fellow some friends. Poor little thing.

 

[sammi]

it's very important he has some companions...lone chicks can get very lonely and stressed.

the different ones are sometimes rejected.

 

[greengelfling]

Good news about my sweet little austrolorpe! It took a few tries to get her the right companion--out of the nine sibllings, most were just annoyed by the poor things. But at last, I found a beautiful silver wyandotte/arucana chick with a gentle and affectionate disposition. The two of them are best buddies and roam our orchard during the day (it's pretty sheltered) and hang out in a spacious cage at night. They have solved my aphid problem without destroying my plants! And not a sign of sickness--just playful enthusiasm. Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[birdlover]

That's such wonderful news!!!!! Soooo glad to hear it. Doesn't it make you feel so good when you help a needy chick like that? Good job!!!

 

[kaya's farm]

i wonder why a mother or mothers do that it makes you think maybe something is wrong witht he baby? The fact that its smallest could also be a problem? Glad to hear things are working out now.

 

[SpottedCrow]

If you have all yellow chicks and all of a sudden there's a black one, they don't recognize it as their one and will most likely run it off.