Revived chick.. now what? HELP

[Amhuff]

Hi y’all, first time hatching chicks and know very little about them! I’ve never had chickens, I hatched chicks for a farmer with my kindergarten class. He donated everything supply wise and will be getting the chicks back in a few days. However, we have a special little one (I call it a he, but who knows) who hatched later than the other 3 and was not doing well for a little over 24 hours after his hatch. The incubator was crowded and I was forewarned not to remove the first three that hatched until they were totally dry, so this little one and the one who hatched later with him were essentially being stood on. I got to school the next day (they hatched late Wednesday night) and kept an eye on them and after getting some advice, moved the two weak ones to a separate brooder box with a light. Tried to hand feed them water with vitamins and egg yolks. One died shortly after, but this one dude just has such a will to live. Fast forward three days, and he’s up and moving, fluffed out, eating chick crumb and drinking independently with me supplementing egg yolks a few times a day, pecking away, and besides a bit of a wobble from what I think may be spraddle leg, is doing overall very well.
My question now is, now what? Do I reintroduce him into the brooder with the other three? But they’re stronger and he’s obviously weaker in comparison, I don’t want him getting pecked. But I can tell he’s bored. He’s very friendly and will climb right into my hand (associates it with feeding) and I hope me reviving him alone didn’t exclude him from ever having a normal chick life but it was the only way to save him. I’m able to keep him if I need to, I live on a farm, but don’t know where to go from here??? Go buy a new chick so it’s the two of them?? HELP. any advice appreciated.

 

[NatJ]

My question now is, now what? Do I reintroduce him into the brooder with the other three? But they’re stronger and he’s obviously weaker in comparison, I don’t want him getting pecked.

A divided brooder might help. If you divide it with hardware cloth, he can be in one side and the other chicks in the other side, and they can socialize through the mesh of the hardware cloth.

In a few days, he might be strong enough to live with the rest of the chicks. If that is possible, it is probably the best choice.

I’m able to keep him if I need to, I live on a farm, but don’t know where to go from here??? Go buy a new chick so it’s the two of them?? HELP. any advice appreciated.

If he is too weak to go back with his hatchmates, he might also be too weak to live with another chick that you might buy. So I would start by trying to get him stronger and back with the others from this hatch.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hi y’all, first time hatching chicks and know very little about them! I’ve never had chickens, I hatched chicks for a farmer with my kindergarten class. He donated everything supply wise and will be getting the chicks back in a few days. However, we have a special little one (I call it a he, but who knows) who hatched later than the other 3 and was not doing well for a little over 24 hours after his hatch. The incubator was crowded and I was forewarned not to remove the first three that hatched until they were totally dry, so this little one and the one who hatched later with him were essentially being stood on. I got to school the next day (they hatched late Wednesday night) and kept an eye on them and after getting some advice, moved the two weak ones to a separate brooder box with a light. Tried to hand feed them water with vitamins and egg yolks. One died shortly after, but this one dude just has such a will to live. Fast forward three days, and he’s up and moving, fluffed out, eating chick crumb and drinking independently with me supplementing egg yolks a few times a day, pecking away, and besides a bit of a wobble from what I think may be spraddle leg, is doing overall very well.
My question now is, now what? Do I reintroduce him into the brooder with the other three? But they’re stronger and he’s obviously weaker in comparison, I don’t want him getting pecked. But I can tell he’s bored. He’s very friendly and will climb right into my hand (associates it with feeding) and I hope me reviving him alone didn’t exclude him from ever having a normal chick life but it was the only way to save him. I’m able to keep him if I need to, I live on a farm, but don’t know where to go from here??? Go buy a new chick so it’s the two of them?? HELP. any advice appreciated.

I completely agree with @NatJ. Try the divider. He may do just fine with them after a bit of "look but no touch." He might not.

I'm in almost the same situation here. I revived my near-death chick, but now she's half the size of the others and blind in one eye. She's probably going to be a house chicken - not at all what I'd intended. We tried the divider and introducing her to other chicks, but they went straight for her eye.

What we *might* try if we can get some her to gain some strength and size is find her a younger chick or two and see if we can integrate them into the main flock that way.

 

[Amhuff]

Thank you @NatJ and @Aunt Angus for the responses! It’s very helpful! I tried yesterday to introduce them slowly, the little guy got through the chicken wire boundary I set up and was with them. It went decent, but lots of eye pecking going on and I think they pecked him a little too hard in the heck bc he kept shaking it back and forth for a few hours. I would put him in there for an hour or so while I could somewhat watch and then separate again. Pretty much the same all day. Today little one has been going after the others (I assume to assert himself), and they’re not being mean anymore, but you can tell he’s definitely the outcast, not really joining in with the others and pretty much doing his own thing. I’m worried about him trying to renter the main flock if he doesn’t even have these hatch mates to group up with.
Should I just keep him and start my own little flock with him once he’s bigger and stronger? He’s less than half the size of the others and definitely delayed. I can give him a week or two and get some younger than him to make his own? I don’t really necessarily want chickens but totally am attached to this one and don’t know what’s best for him.

 

[NatJ]

Today little one has been going after the others (I assume to assert himself), and they’re not being mean anymore, but you can tell he’s definitely the outcast, not really joining in with the others and pretty much doing his own thing. I’m worried about him trying to renter the main flock if he doesn’t even have these hatch mates to group up with.

I would probably keep trying for at least a few more days.
Social skills can take time, and he may just need a little more practice.
If he can get along with the rest, he may be able to go join the big flock with them.
Or if you think he should not join the main flock, maybe you can arrange to buy some or all of his hatchmates, so they can stay together with you.

Or yes, you might be able to buy some younger chicks and form a flock with him. But I would try to work with the current hatchmates if possible.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I would probably keep trying for at least a few more days.
Social skills can take time, and he may just need a little more practice.
If he can get along with the rest, he may be able to go join the big flock with them.
Or if you think he should not join the main flock, maybe you can arrange to buy some or all of his hatchmates, so they can stay together with you.

Or yes, you might be able to buy some younger chicks and form a flock with him. But I would try to work with the current hatchmates if possible.

X2