Won't Stop Crying!?!?!?

[MissPrissy]

Believe it or not some animals tend to stick to their own kind instinctively. It is not unusual for a chick not to bond with a duck.

 

[countyroad1330]

edster, that's kind of my thoughts on the issue. But, I think the biggest problem is that he hears the older chicks, so it knows that it isn't a duck... I'm going to try a mirror or feather duster I guess. Hopefully I can find the little guy a home with other chicks soon.

 

[cooliseo]

I recommend holding it for a little while until it falls to sleep or putting your hand over it wherever you have it. I think it seems to calm them.. hmm.. I wonder.

 

[countyroad1330]

Cooliseo, it throws a fit when I try holding it.

I bought a mirror tonight, but its a little pocket mirror. The duck loves it, but the chick won't quit crying enough to notice it. I guess I should've got a bigger one...

 

[cooliseo]

Aww.. Well maybe (even though it is still young, I do this) try playing with it on the floor for a minute or two. It will get more friendlier then. If it runs away( your faster then the chick) grab it. Even if it does throw a fit, hold it to your chest, it works with me. All chicks that I know of love to be snuggled. Even if they freak out. Try holding it(even if it does struggle) eventually it will calm down.

 

[countyroad1330]

I got the poor little chick a new home with lots of other little chickies yesterday. I haven't heard from the new owner, so I'm guessing that means the crying stopped. *haha* Thank you for all of your advice everyone.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
But what about the duck? Is he lonely now?

 

[MissPrissy]

I am glad the little chicks went to a good home.

 

[countyroad1330]

The duck actually got over his loneliness after I'd had him a couple days. I think he had a little cold or something, and that was his problem. I do have a little mirror in there for him now. I swear he's looking at it saying 'Look at you, you pretty boy!'

 

[legacyln]

I am getting back into chickens after a 20 year hiatus, and acquired 13 Dominiques a few weeks ago. I was so thrilled talking about it that a friend wanted to know if she got three chicks from Orschelin's if she could keep them at her house for a few days for her kids to enjoy and then give them to me. I said sure, gave her the feed, and instructions for keeping them warm with a lightbulb. They were kept in a cold room, no lightbulb, and after 5 days two died. My Doms are 2 weeks older so no way I could mix them. So, sigh, I fed the orphan sugar water in a medicine dropper and spent a day carrying it around in my pocket. It cried everytime I put it down, and would only eat when I held it, so finally I went up to Orschelns and bought two friends for it. I have never seen anything like how THRILLED the little survivor was when I put her new companions into her brooder. She is a neat chick-- they were stressed so she took turns sleeping and grooming each one for the first few days. She is a corker! Now they are all happy and I am trying not to think of the poor little victims. But, my point is: I think that if you can find chicks of a similar age for an orphan its the best solution, and barring that, there's always your pocket..... but your shirts'll get a little smelly!