Unsticking a chick - Did I do the right thing?

[Min27]

I'm just a bit concerned. Recently we hatched a fertile egg under a broody hen, so now we have a mother chicken (bantam cochin) and a baby that is about a week and a half old (bantam ancona).

Just this afternoon, I went outside to check on them and I saw the baby underneath the mum cheeping loudly. I thought it might have just been cold so I prepared a box to move the baby and mum into the garage, but then I tried to put the mum in the box and realized the baby was stuck to the mother! (dangling from the side of its neck)

Some of the mother hen's fluff had somehow become sticky and caused the baby to stick to it by the neck on its left side. First I tried to gently pull it off, but that didn't work. It started to hurt the baby. So I went and got some scissors and cut the feathers from the mother that were sticking to the chick (just at the tips, not the whole feather) (it was difficult keeping the mother still). Then I moved them into the box and put them inside the garage because it was getting cold.

After that, the baby seemed alright. It's still running around and jumping on top of the mother like it usually does. I've picked it up and checked it a few times to see if there's anymore feathers stuck to it (strangely the mum's feathers seemed to drop right off it when I cut them with the scissors) or any bleeding spots where I might have missed with the scissors. Nothing. It's all clean. I still can't help but think the chick might have internal bleeding or bruises from the experience. Is it going to be alright or have I permanently damaged its developing body?

 

[KristyHall]

I'm just a bit concerned. Recently we hatched a fertile egg under a broody hen, so now we have a mother chicken (bantam cochin) and a baby that is about a week and a half old (bantam ancona).

Just this afternoon, I went outside to check on them and I saw the baby underneath the mum cheeping loudly. I thought it might have just been cold so I prepared a box to move the baby and mum into the garage, but then I tried to put the mum in the box and realized the baby was stuck to the mother! (dangling from the side of its neck)

Some of the mother hen's fluff had somehow become sticky and caused the baby to stick to it by the neck on its left side. First I tried to gently pull it off, but that didn't work. It started to hurt the baby. So I went and got some scissors and cut the feathers from the mother that were sticking to the chick (just at the tips, not the whole feather) (it was difficult keeping the mother still). Then I moved them into the box and put them inside the garage because it was getting cold.

After that, the baby seemed alright. It's still running around and jumping on top of the mother like it usually does. I've picked it up and checked it a few times to see if there's anymore feathers stuck to it (strangely the mum's feathers seemed to drop right off it when I cut them with the scissors) or any bleeding spots where I might have missed with the scissors. Nothing. It's all clean. I still can't help but think the chick might have internal bleeding or bruises from the experience. Is it going to be alright or have I permanently damaged its developing body?

it sounds like you didn't hurt anything. Newly hatched chicks are surprisingly resilient. It is good you cut the feathers off the mama rather than kept pulling. It would have been more dangerous for the baby if you left it stuck on her feathers.

 

[CluckyCharms]

This is like seeing someone drowning, throwing them a life preserver and then asking if you did the right thing.

Of course you did the right thing, well done.

<*))))><
​

 

[Min27]

Quote: Thanks. I just wanted a second opinion. While baby chicks are resilient, I still believe them to be much more fragile than an adult bird. I also have no idea exactly how long the chick was stuck like that for. It was a good thing I came out to check on it.

 

[jak2002003]

If it is eating, drinking, pooping and running about it 100 percent OK! Don't worry.

I have had chicks jump off 5 foot coop roof onto the dirt. Once one got stuck under the pond filter for a day before I found it, and one has been in the mouth of a friends dog which was running about with it for a good while before we could catch it. They all had not ill effects from it and were going about their normal chicky ways a few seconds after.

 

[NJchixs]

Poor thing. Like everyone said, what you did was fine, and as long as she's getting around and eating she should be alright. If it didn't get up after the un-glueing, then I would worry.