What should i do?

[Japbam]

Hi,
I have a 5 day old chick that mommy hen pecked out of the shell and left to die, I caught the chick just on time to nurse it.. it has gone from not been fully developed, to a strong, curious and healthy chick. I have the chick inside with me under a heat lamp and I am feeding and giving it fluids every 2 hours .. Mommy hen has 2 chicks with her in the coop/nest box, should I introduce the chicks, I don't think putting the nursed chick out to mommy is a good idea, but what about bringing mommy and the 2 chicks in to my little one?

 

[sepaditty1]

Ooh. I have zero experience with that but I'm interested in seeing what the experts say.

 

[write2caroline]

You can try. I doubt very much she can distinguish from the two she kept and the one she rejected which you saved.
Caroline

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I've removed hours old hatchlings from the nest due to overcrowding, injuries, being small & weak, etc. Days later I put them in the pen and as soon as they hit the ground they ran cheeping & peeping over to their mother and siblings and all was well. I've done this with single chicks as well as groups of 2-5 chicks. That would be my first option but be alert for rejection or aggression from the hen and be prepared to intervene.
Bringing the hen inside may stress an already anxious new mother and it may turn out badly. I've done it that way too and if the box is small the hen doesn't seem to notice she has additional chicks runing around under her. Again, be prepared to intervene.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Its a crap shoot. Hens can't count and most are as happy with one chick as they are with a hundred. If you wait till after dark to reintroduce it the chance of success increases.

 

[Japbam]

Thank you for your information, I have taken it all aboard. My sick chick still has not learned to feed herself or drink. She is very delayed due to the fact she was pecked from the shell 3/4 days before she should have hatched. Her left side of her body was not fully formed, I believe this is because mommy stopped turning the egg, but has grown to adjust to her own ways. I'd like to try and see if mommy and the other chicks could help her the rest of the way. And by putting the little one out to the box it means I will not be able to intervene as much as I think I will have to. Would it be very unfair if I just took the 2 chics from mommy or even one of them and see if they could help the sick one advance to their level and in a few days when my sick chic progresses and knows the ropes of been a chicken i could put them all back to mommy? I'm afraid the longer I leave it, the less of a chance she will be accepted by the others, so am I wrong to try and rush the process?

 

[write2caroline]

Momma may have sensed a problem.
I hope your chick is okay but as you have described it this chick. I would not put it with the others unless it starts acting normally. A chick not moving normally will attract negative attention and they may peck at it.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Caroline

 

[Japbam]

She's as bold and mischievous as the other 2 chics, and very alert, and adores the attention from my dogs, and she let's everyone know that she's the boss, I've taken care of her from hour one, so i have seen her improve hour after hour.,i personally don't think she is ready to go outside to the box,I just can't help her as much when she's out there, but she needs help to do the things that I can't show her.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Thank you for your information, I have taken it all aboard. My sick chick still has not learned to feed herself or drink. She is very delayed due to the fact she was pecked from the shell 3/4 days before she should have hatched. Her left side of her body was not fully formed, I believe this is because mommy stopped turning the egg, but has grown to adjust to her own ways. I'd like to try and see if mommy and the other chicks could help her the rest of the way. And by putting the little one out to the box it means I will not be able to intervene as much as I think I will have to. Would it be very unfair if I just took the 2 chics from mommy or even one of them and see if they could help the sick one advance to their level and in a few days when my sick chic progresses and knows the ropes of been a chicken i could put them all back to mommy? I'm afraid the longer I leave it, the less of a chance she will be accepted by the others, so am I wrong to try and rush the process?

Holy crap! Have you dipped her beak in her water & made pecking motions in her feed with your finger to encourage her to eat & drink? Is she still deformed? In your first post you said the chick was > and to put anything less in a pen with normal functioning chickens means certian death. Sounds like you need to hand raise the chick inside by herself.

 

[Japbam]

She is strong, and healthy, 5 days ago I didn't think she would make it.. I just don't think she is ready to go out, maybe it's my attachment, and that's why I feel guilty that she is lonely. Yes I have tried all that, I'm prepared to hand raise her, but will that be fair on her. She has fully formed yes, and she's very quick to run to me when she sees the food syringe. I can hand rear her, and I can teach her to feed herself. It's time that I'm concerned about, if that takes too long, the others might not accept her.