Help! Late chick won't eat or stop peeping!

16 years ago

A hen of ours sat on 5 eggs. Four of them hatched out within a day of eachother. The fifth one was 2 days late. By this time, the hen was done setting faithfully on her nest so we thought we should take the chick inside and put in under a heat lamp w/food and water.

Three days later, the chicken thinks my hand is its mother. It won't eat-just stands around with its eyes closed peeping constantly. Not a loud peep, but a steady peep. When I put my hand by it, it tries to cuddle up with my fingers and sleep.

We tried putting it in with the mother last night. She accept the chick, but the chick doesn't accept her as its kind although it did sleep under her all night.

Should I put it back with the hen and older chicks and let nature take its course now?

Any advice? I feel so sorry for this chick!

~Ang

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Comments (9)

velvet_sparrow
16 years ago
Yes--put it with mama. People have had success putting chicks under hens at night, so when they wake up in the morning everyone is there.

Chickens are flock animals, and instinctively do not want to be alone. It's cuddling your hand out of desperation for another living thing for company. Being with the other chicks and mama will settle the chick down and stimulate it to eat.

If it is sitting with it's eyes closed and sounds distressed, it may well be that something is wrong and you'll lose that chick, so be prepared. :( Best thing you can do for it is to give it it's best shot at life by being with mama and siblings.

Velvet !:>
Maggie_J
16 years ago
I agree! I just added two late hatching chicks (5 - 6 days behind the others) to my first broody's three. I added them during the day, using the "two for one" method... or in this case, "four for two". It's a useful method when it's not convenient to do the overnight method... and I prefer it because I am on hand if things go wrong. I mention it to you, Ang, in case the hen rejects them when you put them back with her.

I had the two new chicks in a bucket. I opened the broody pen and with a butterfly net, I scooped out two of the three chicks. They screamed for mama, mama got into a proper tizzy at the abduction and there was pretty good chaos for a minute of two. Just to make sure, I again picked up one of the stolen chicks and it screamed even louder. "Mama! Mama! The monster's got me!!!!" When the hen looked like her eyeballs might pop out, I lowered the bucket into the pen and let all four chicks out.

The hen was so relieved to have her chicks back that she did nothing but fuss over them for several minutes. I THINK she realized something was different but since hens can't count, she couldn't figure it out and accepted all the chicks. We watched for a minute just to be sure, then added a bit more food and left them alone.

By 7:00 pm they were all tucked up under her and she was cooing lullabies to them. Just one big happy family!

Good luck with your late-hatcher! I hope it makes it!
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picklespickles
16 years ago
wow. i LOVE your game. fabulous. subterfuge at its finest. never thought of just treating them like two year olds before. :)
farmerang
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you two for your good advice. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my dilema. I found chicky out there this morning as weak as can be laying in the nest with its eyes closed and cold. I thought it was dead. The mom was eating and scratching with her babies on the other side of the pen. I give up!

Perhaps y'all would just leave it be, but I couldn't stand to do that. It needs warmth and the mom just isn't interested. I brought it into the box once again under the heat lamp. I don't think it'll make it. It is awfully weak. It did eat and drink some last night before I put it under mamma hen-even seemed to be doing better. Now, I just don't know.

~Ang
Maggie_J
16 years ago
I didn't invent the 'two for one' method. Someone posted it a few years back on one of the forums... probably this one! I don't remember who it was, but that person's kid thought it up. Smart kid! It was a clever bit of observation, to notice the hen's and chick's behaviour and apply it to another situation. I tried it and found it worked very well, so every now and again I mention it so that it gets passed along.

How's the chick doing this morning?
Maggie_J
16 years ago
Sorry Ang, I guess you posted your update while I was writing mine. I got interrupted and didn't check before submitting the message.

Sorry to hear that the chick is not doing well. I think you did the right thing bringing it back in the house. It sounds as though the hen may have rejected it the second time. If it hangs in there, you may want to try giving it a little mirror and a small stuffed toy. Sounds crazy, but I have heard of people doing this with a "lonely only" and it sometimes helps.
farmerang
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks again!

Unfortunately, little chicky died this afternoon. I just knew he wouldn't make it, but didn't want to give up so easily.

By the way, I did have a little stuffed toy in there from the beginning and chicky like to cuddle under it.

Still a little sad,
~Ang
Maggie_J
16 years ago
It's too bad he didn't make it, Ang, but Velvet was probably right about something being wrong with him that you couldn't see. You tried so hard to help him -- it's natural that you feel a little sad. (((Hugs)))
velvet_sparrow
16 years ago
I'm sorry you lost your chick, but good for you for trying so hard and making it as comfortable as possible. :)

I love the two for one bucket method!

Velvet ~:>

Help! Late chick won't eat or stop peeping!

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velvet_sparrow

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Help! Late chick won't eat or stop peeping!

Comments (9)

velvet_sparrow

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