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.
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.