lonely chick.

[Terri E]

Hatched today.
Baby chick, only one of three eggs. Other two should be hatching within a week.

I haven't incubated chicks in a year. This one was incubated and hatch. He's lonely and , like all chicks, cries - chirps. A whole lot. He's in the homemade brooder. Chirping away, when I talk to him, he quiets, sees me does light lower chirps.until I go away or stay quiet, he gets loud and the routine is done again. I sometimes don't respond and he, later gets quiet. Looking in, he seems to be sleeping but quickly wakes up and gets loud.

I once saw where a lady noted that she placed either an egg or baby chick close to her. As for the egg, I think I can understand its for warmth until the incubator was on. As for the chick, it cannot remember as much or even understand it.

The reason I brought that up because, I had decided to take the lonely chick out of the brooder and have him close to my heart. I'm laying on my back. He gets quiet and falls asleep a little longer than when he was by himself. Wakes up then buries himself a little more inside my shirt. And sleeps. He did wake up because I have the lights on. Turned it off , he buries back and not a sound.

Now as much as it seems I'm imitating a mother hen on how she has her babies close to her, there's no way I can do this all night! Yes, my clothing is loose. HOWEVER, he's quiet and calm.

What can I do for him, this lonely chick? Any advise or insight is Very Much appreciated.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Try a feather duster (mimics Hen) or stuffed animal it can cuddle with, mirror (reflection will think there's another chick), radio/TV so it's not dead silent & warmth.

Not sure what you're using for warmth but if you're using light, put the duster/stuff animal under the light yet make sure the space is enough that it can get away from the heat if it's too warm. Have you read the thread by Blooie on the MHP (heating pad)? If you go that route, stick the duster/stuffed animal along side of it. Make sure it eats/drinks. My Avatar ... A friend gave me the chick, single hatch & he did fine alone.

 

[Terri E]

I've seen the heating pad, but since I don't have one. Tried to look for other options and couldn't find one. That or I was just too tired to noticed if I had skipped one.

Thank you for your ideas, I'll check the only feather duster I have. It's in a plastic casing, retractable for ease storage. No stuffed animals around here. I placed him back in the homemade brooder with headlamp. Before I knocked out for the night. Didn't want to squash him.
It's day two, think he should be starting to eat and drink. Will be keeping and eye. Especially to make sure my two cats are staying away, even though I have hard cloth wire over the brooder so they don't get in.

Once again thank you.

 

[Terri E]

Update:
Ok, baby roo didn't like the duster. Seems to want to hear my voice and be next to me. Yes, I do leave him in his brooder but he's lonely. By his loud chirps he makes. He's eating and drinking, which was my concern of him being the only chick hatched. Now I'm wondering if its wrong to baby him and have him closer to me during small portions of the day. He falls asleep fast being closer, and as I've seen, is a little quieter as he would be with a mommy hen. At least he's safe at night in his brooder.

 

[Maddison]

from my experience, chicks need a mum or siblings to keep them company, this chick is very alone and has obviously imprinted on you, it may actually hurt it to detach yourself to it since chicks can actually die from loneliness. the chick you see in my profile pic is one I raised my self and required constant contact with me to be quiet and happy, through the night It was in a brooder and did cry but would queit down once it realised no one was there, until other chicks hatch I recommend you keep this chick with you whenever you can and in its brooder at night, you can even make a little pouch that hangs over your neck to put the chick in during the day so you can multitask as I did, I know that sounds weird but you have to be a mummy to this chick, your all she has now! this can be very difficult mind you but this is only til the other chicks hatch, aside from this you could buy a chick from a feed store to keep it company.

 

[JaeG]

Give it a little mirror. It will help a bit when you need to do stuff that's difficult with a chick down your shirt (I've done that with a Button quail chick who was a lonely only but I had to make it a pocket so it didn't get lost)! I've given an early hatchling a mirror and it loved having someone to talk to. I tried to take it away when it finally had some friends and you should've heard the protesting! They loved admiring themselves in the mirror!

Your baby will be happier when the others hatch.

 

[WVduckchick]

Do you have adult chickens?? I read about (and still want to make one myself) using a Styrofoam ball, with actual chicken feathers inserted, and suspended where the chick can slip under it. I was thinking a piece of sturdy wire, bent like legs, to make the ball stand up.

 

[Terri E]

Do you have adult chickens?? I read about (and still want to make one myself) using a Styrofoam ball, with actual chicken feathers inserted, and suspended where the chick can slip under it. I was thinking a piece of sturdy wire, bent like legs, to make the ball stand up.

I have of adult hens, one is brooding right now. I cannot have her imprint on the chick. She'll abandon the eggs. She did it before. The idea you gave sounds interesting and I have plenty of actual feathers of all kinds. I love collecting them.

However, right now and can crochete a pocket type as suggested by Maddison. Only because I need those items suggested by you, and a small mirror, by JaeG.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Terri E]

from my experience, chicks need a mum or siblings to keep them company, this chick is very alone and has obviously imprinted on you, it may actually hurt it to detach yourself to it since chicks can actually die from loneliness. the chick you see in my profile pic is one I raised my self and required constant contact with me to be quiet and happy, through the night It was in a brooder and did cry but would queit down once it realised no one was there, until other chicks hatch I recommend you keep this chick with you whenever you can and in its brooder at night, you can even make a little pouch that hangs over your neck to put the chick in during the day so you can multitask as I did, I know that sounds weird but you have to be a mummy to this chick, your all she has now! this can be very difficult mind you but this is only til the other chicks hatch, aside from this you could buy a chick from a feed store to keep it company.

Great idea! I have yarn to crochete it!
Every one gave awesome ideas! Thank you all!

 

[sourland]

Try placing a mirror in with him. He has imprinted on you and will cry because he regards you as his mother. He also needs to be kept at 90 F.