Update: Chick didn't make it. Day old chick wandering from hen and hen pecking at it when it returns

[NewToChix]

This baby did not make it. While I was inside, one of the chickens (possibly even mama) pecked this chick's head leaving a large bleeding wound with skull showing

I found the baby near the house shivering, but still alive. I reassured the little baby for a while and talked sweetly to it. I then put the sweet little baby under water until he/she was gone and gave it a proper burial in the yard. My first "cull" and I'm really upset.

What is going on here? Our hen just hatched out 8 chicks, 2 of which hatched last night. There is one that looks a little crusty and rough but is getting around fine for the most part. The chick keeps wandering off away from the hen and then starts crying for her when he gets too far away. When I put him back with her she pecks at him until he runs and gets under her to stay warm.

Is there just something not right with this chick that the mother senses so she does not want him? Why does he keep going off on his own.
I do not have the means to take care of an abandoned chick so I will just keep bringing it back to her until he either dies or she accepts him. We always let our hen mother and she is really great, but this baby is just crazy!

What's going on?

 

[centrarchid]

Chick delirious or has hearing problem. Allow it to stay with hen over night but do not allow her to peck it. Keeping her in dark with brood will help with that. If problem not resolved by first light tomorrow then remove chick. Then treat chick as a medical issue.

 

[sssharon]

New,that is strange! I have had to broody batches in the last few months and the chicks never stray from the mother, hardly even until a couple weeks later. Sounds about like all you can do is just what you are doing keep putting it back and hope for the best. Glad to see that someone else that has a little more knowledge with this is helping you out, good luck with that

 

[NewToChix]

Okay, thanks guys. So the baby has completely wandered away and is swaying and closing its eyes. I don't think it will make it through the night considering it is rainy out and it is just hanging outside away from all the other chicks and mama hen.



Poor baby. This makes me so sad.