separating chick from mom.........................

[16 paws]

Hello,
I have a question about my broody hatched chick. I have had co-broodys hatch a staggered hatch and all is well so far except today.
Two of my bantam cochins were broody together. They shared the eggs and have hatched 3 so far. The first chick hatched last Thursday, then the last one hatched today. So 1 for 1 Mom and 3 for the other mom.
When I got off work I checked and the new baby had 2 peck marks on her head. She looked weak and neither Mom was sitting on her to keep her warm. It was warm today and all the chicks were out and about in the coop with Moms.
I decided after watching the mom step on the baby I better take it in and put it under the heat lamp.
My question is should I take another chick and put it in with this one so it is not alone? Should I try tonight to add it back to the mom and 2 chicks? Should I separate the two broody moms?
Just dont know what to do.
thanks in advance...it still looks a little on the weak side, I gave it a little sugar water.
marie

 

[thehackleguy]

It is really a judgment call, I never leave broody hens together because I have had them break out into a fight when I was not around and trample all of their chicks (live and learn). You can try to separate them and give the chick to one of the hens at night but the hen may still kill the chick in the morning. I've raised single chicks before and they do fine, but they are social animals for the most part so putting a second one with it would not hurt. Hope everything works out.

 

[16 paws]

It is really a judgment call, I never leave broody hens together because I have had them break out into a fight when I was not around and trample all of their chicks (live and learn). You can try to separate them and give the chick to one of the hens at night but the hen may still kill the chick in the morning. I've raised single chicks before and they do fine, but they are social animals for the most part so putting a second one with it would not hurt. Hope everything works out.

Thanks thehackleguy,

Last night I brought the broody mom into the house with her 2 chicks. They are all inside a large dog crate. I added the weak chick and all was fine thru the night. I will see how she does this morning. I am keeping them in a dark room for awhile just to let them have more time to rest. I hope this works.

Meanwhile the other broody only has one chick with her and the roo is also in that coop. They all seem fine and happy.

I have to agree with you on separating the broodys from now on. Maybe after the chicks get a little older I can put them all back together again. That coop is my bantam coop and they are all bantam cochins so I really need to keep them together. When the 2 broodys were sitting on the eggs they were BFF's but I think things change after the hatch. It could of very well been the fact that 1 broody had just one chick hatch and the other had 3. That might make for some problems huh? They were swapping eggs the whole time so it was like roulette in the final outcome of who got how many LOL.

Like you said...
Lesson learned
I will keep you posted, did any of your chicks make it after that happened?
Marie