Spoiled house chick - only survivor - advice and help ???

[RaeRae2]

My Dark Brahma went broody so I bought her fertile eggs to set on. She was not the greatest setter, getting off and letting eggs get cool. 3 hatched and she ended up killing 2 of them. Stepped all over them,pecked them, etc. So #3 (named Uno) I brought in the house. I have raised baby chicks before but they were all raised together in a big brooder with heatlamp, you know the traditional method.

I can't give this guy a heat lamp because he is scared to be alon so he screams his head off day and night. He has to be completely bundled up in a towel on a heating pad.

He is now 6 days old and eating, drinking, and growing in feathers like crazy. He sits on my chest and eats whatever I eat for dinner. He drinks out of my glass, and sits on the edge of my plate and helps himself to whatever he wants. He also eats chick starter and meal worms.

Problem? He is SPOILED and I don't know how I'll ever integrate him with the others. He thinks that I am the mamma. I tried to give him back to his mom when he was 2 days old who is still broody and still setting on a nest without eggs. She acted horrified by him and got up and left, knocking him right out of the nest in the process. So I'm stuck with him. He's extremely tenacious, outgoing, silly, playful, and loaded with character. But I let him rule my life. When I'm home, he's inside my shirt riding around with me, or playing on the desk in front of me.

How will I ever integrate him to the adult chickens? It is cold outside - 20s and 30s and he's too tiny to be trying to force him to stay in a cage in the chicken run and coop. So he's inside with me until he's fully feathered.

Do I take him out for short outings with the other chickens so he at least sees them?

When I set that hen on eggs, I never bargained for this! LOL

 

[Scottyhorse]

Well first off, quit feeding him all your food. That'll help. Right now it's okay for him to be with you all the time because that is what he would do with a hen. Try to find another chick or two his age so they can hang out, so when you put them outside, they'll gang up and stick together.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I agree, I think I'd be all about getting a few more chicks to raise up with him so he could go in the brooder with them. Will make things a whole lot easier for you and will be a lot easier to integrate a few newbies instead of just one who doesn't even know he a chicken!

 

[HOTONE]

I have a chick the same way. She is a silkie and she lives in a birdcage right now. I kept a heating pad on the bottom.She also thinks i am her momma but she isnt treated like a puppy eating from my plate or drinking. She does have a window to look out of and she sees the chickens outside. I went thru the annoying cheeping day and night but when it gets dark i cover her. It took a couple of days but it worked. Now i dont have to carry her around. I take her outside everyday for our walk. We walk up and down the driveway for her exercise. Good luck with your little peeper!!

 

[CHICKEN CRAZY1]

Who says chickens can't be pets if all else fails.

 

[sumi]

I agree with the above advice. I had a single chick that we raised in the house. He grew into a lovely rooster and we had no problem when it was time to put him with the rest of the flock. It did help that I didn't have another rooster at the time!
If you have difficulty keeping him quiet at night put him under a feather duster. I did that with my single chick and it worked very well. He crawled under it like he would've under his mom and he was quite happy. And quiet!

 

[SilkieSensation]

The feather duster works as does a very fluffy stuffed animal. Point your heat lamp right at the "fluffy" to warm it like Momma & baby will snuggle underneath & be quite happy. You can also set it on top of your heat pad with similar effect.