The Lone Silky

[DCMuffin]

Good morning, everyone! So, one of my girls has been sitting on three silky eggs. Sadly, two of the three did not survive, but the third is happy and healthy .

Here's my conundrum and I'm looking for some thoughts. Lucy hatched the baby in an upper level nesting bucket inside the coop. I don't know why I didn't think to move her at the beginning, but I suppose that's neither here nor there. Yesterday afternoon, I put the small brooder pen back into the coop, with food and water and popped baby in, then Lucy. She took off LOL. She ran back inside the coop after a bit, but jumped right back into a bucket, though this time the lower level one, which is about 8 or so inches off the ground, with a little lip inside. This little one will start eating either tonight or tomorrow but I can't put food/water into the bucket, and tho the baby may be able to jump/fall out of the bucket to follow mom, there's no way it'll be able to get back in.

Do I continue to try to move her? Do I somehow build a ramp to that bucket? Our last set of chicks weren't an issue cause they were sat on by our little Silky, Betty White, and she loves the back corner of the coop, on the floor. Easy peasy. Lucy, not so much lol.

Here's a pic of the buckets, they are currently in the bottom left one. Thoughts? Thank you

 

[Poultrybreeder]

You could try building a little ramp, but make sure to walk the chick up and down it a few times, so that it knows how to use the ramp

 

[DCMuffin]

My mama hens all show the babies how to do the other ramps so I'm guessing that it would learn eventually LOL. That said...thanks so much for the reply, but I tried the brooder pen again today and Lucy is perfectly happy in there now with her new chicken nugget. They've got food and water, she's already teaching how to eat and drink and all is right with the world. I am going to keep her in the brooder for a couple of days (other than letting her range later, while I selfishly babysit ROFL) until she realizes that she's got no other eggs to hatch (I think this is why she continued to go back into the bucket).

I'll pay better attention next time and make sure that mama is on the eggs in the brooder from the get go. Thanks again!

Oh, and by the way - this was what I was greeted with right before I moved them into the brooder. Gah. Look at the nugget! .

 

[Poultrybreeder]

So cute! Well I am glad that things are working out for you now.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

That chick is SOOO AORABLE!!!!!

 

[DCMuffin]

Thanks so much, everyone! We're all good! I opened up the crate this evening and Lucy had no interest in leaving. . Mama and baby are happy and that's all I can ask! I seriously love watching my hens raise their littles. So much fun! <3