Will she take her baby back?

[Slowtowngirl]

so I have a chick and I suspected It was injured. I found it wedged between some old stuff. It didn't want to come out. Not even when momma was around and momma didn't stick around. I monitored the situation for a while and then decided to take him. I have had him for a few days and now he seems totally fine. He is about 3 weeks old. Do you think his mom will take him back. I would prefer him have the free range lifestyle instead of sitting under a lamp all day. Plus I don't have a companion for him.

Also his mother isn't a great one. She runs off and leaves her babies all the time and they can't keep up. She had 9 and now down to 2 plus the one I currently have.

 

[Pork Pie]

Others may think differently, but considering the losses thus far, removing the other two chicks from her would be an option I would consider.

 

[LadyCluck77]

...it sounds unlikely that the mother will take the chick back, but if she has others and her hormones as a mama are still active, you could try with supervision.

If you do try, and you see that she is pecking at the chick, or not letting it snuggle and warm on her, definitely intervene, because a hen can deliver a death blow to a baby chick with one well-placed peck.

The other option is to just take all the babies from her, and brood them together indoors. If she's really not doing a good job as a mama, that is what I personally would opt for, especially if you want to keep the chicks especially, though it's a heck of a lot more work. I can understand wanting to let nature do as it will in the flock.

I have lost a few babies due to incompetent or outright murderous mama hens. When they have proven themselves to be one of those, they don't get the chance to brood anymore. I have a faverolle mix who I have named Cerci, because she's a murderer.

 

[Slowtowngirl]

The problem is that they are free range. So monitoring can be difficult as is potentially getting at the other babies.

 

[azygous]

What you do depends on the value you place on this chick surviving. If you wish to guarantee its survival, your best option is to remove all the chicks and place them and this single chick together in a brooder and finish brooding them yourself. They are not far from being weaned anyway.

In another week or two, the chicks probably won't require much heat, they probably don't need heat during the day at this point, but they shouldn't be allowed to free-range alone since they're predator bait while still so small.

If you lack a secure run, you should expect to lose some or all of these chicks to predators. I wouldn't trust this broody of yours to care for them. What you decide to do is up to you, but the safest thing to do is to finish brooding them yourself.

 

[Slowtowngirl]

Because I would find it near impossible to gather up all chicks I decided to give it try in reintroducing the chick. So what I did was get my feed out and while the momma was distracted with the food I snuck the chick in with the other two. It went so smoothly. Thankfully. She didn't even bat an eye and that chick was ready to be back with its momma. He practically flew to her. She isn't a horrible mom. Not mean to her babies. She just kind of gets ahead of herself and leaves them behind and they always have to catch up. This is her first clutch so I suppose with time she will get even better. While I understand the dangers of them being free range and I do want them to survive. I want them to try to be as healthy as possible and I know that with the variety of food that they get while free range I couldn't possibly replicate that with just chick feed. I hope the little guy makes it but of course nature might see that differently. Just by seeing him now he looks so much happier.