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What to do with a lone baby? UPDATE! Now with pic!

Discussion in 'Raising Baby Chicks' started by CarriBrown, Dec 2, 2007.

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  1. Dec 2, 2007 Post #1 of 22
    CarriBrown

    CarriBrown Crowing

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    Gwen hatched one baby then proceeded to try and kill it! [​IMG] The baby is healthy and right now I have it under a heat lamp with some stuffys for it to cuddle with. It was hatched on Friday and I know it's only a matter of time before it will need a friend, right?
    What should I do with this little one? Gwen has two more eggs but they haven't hatched yet and it's day 22-23. I'm ready to boot her back outside with the others.
    Should I try and get ahold of another baby (if I can even find one...)? Will it be ok by itself? I feel so sorry for the little thing....
    Help!
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2007
  2. Dec 2, 2007 Post #2 of 22
    Katy

    Katy Flock Mistress

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    That's what I did when I had a lone chick hatch.....ran around to all the feed stores and finally found a couple of friends for him. That's the last time I put only shipped eggs in by themselves....now I always put a few of my own in too because I've never had a problem with them hatching. Until I found friends for him i had a mirror in for him...he stood by his reflection the whole time!!
     
  3. Dec 2, 2007 Post #3 of 22
    Chellester

    Chellester Songster

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    Hey Carri,

    Sorry to hear it's not working out with Gwen. Hopefully the next time she goes broody, she'll have a better idea of what she should be doing.

    I agree with Katy; get a couple more chicks as buddies for it.
     
  4. Dec 2, 2007 Post #4 of 22
    Pinenot

    Pinenot Songster

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    I have a chick that is all alone. I took a feather boa and cut a 6 inch section from it and he/she thinks it is a friend. Sleeps with it too!
     
  5. Dec 2, 2007 Post #5 of 22
    CarriBrown

    CarriBrown Crowing

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    I broke open the other two eggs (after I tossed Gwen back outside... she's on my bad side right now!!!!) and there was nothing. Duds. So at least she hatched what she could.
    But now I have a screaming baby. I put a mirror in there but the only thing that seems to calm it down is the sound of my voice. [​IMG] Poor little thing. I'll see if I have a boa or feather duster!
    PS. Nobody has babies right now. ACK!
     
  6. Dec 2, 2007 Post #6 of 22
    Chellester

    Chellester Songster

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    I never thought of a feather boa as a chick buddy... of course it's going to like something with feathers on it! That is sheer genius Pinenot!

    I have babies right now Carri, and if I wasn't a few hundered miles away from you, I'd give you a couple of mine, at least temporarily.

    There's chicks out there somewhere; the feed stores won't have any, but there's got to be crazy chicken people around still hatching chicks like us! :p Maybe put a "wanted in so cal" post in the buy/sell area and see what happens.
     
  7. Dec 2, 2007 Post #7 of 22
    Scrambled Egg

    Scrambled Egg Flock Mistress

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    I love the feather boa story too Pinenot, very ingenious and sweet! Course Carri this is just another excuse made to look rational FOR MORE CHICKENS!!!! lol!![​IMG]
     
  8. Dec 2, 2007 Post #8 of 22
    CarriBrown

    CarriBrown Crowing

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    I called my "crazy chicken lady" source and she's not even hatching... [​IMG]
    The little thing has been doing much better since I turned the stereo on. I suppose I could leave that on while we're at work.
    Trust me, Scrambled Egg... I DID try that. I'm always looking for a reason to get more. [​IMG] It would work better if the people I knew were hatching!
     
  9. Dec 2, 2007 Post #9 of 22
    verthandi

    verthandi Songster

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    My single chick did fine alone. At 10 weeks old he got the next clutch of 3 week olds, they took up residence under his wings....much to his dismay. He was actually scared of the little ones for a couple of days. He is my flock rooster now and has taken great to life with all the hens.

    He had a parakeet mirror and thought that was fun. The boa is a brillant idea, I also just saw natural feather dusters at the grociery store this morning.
     
  10. Dec 2, 2007 Post #10 of 22
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD

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    I toted my lone baby around and set it on the floor near my desk so it could see me. As soon as it couldn't it would scream it's little head off![​IMG]

    He did grow up though and was just fine.
     
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