I have one chick out of a nest of 5 that has been pushed aside and only ever has just air in it's crop. Twice yesterday and the day before I gave it a small amount of hand rearing mixture and burped most of the air out but the mother just keeps doing it. It's the only one out of the 5 she does it to.

 

Should i just bring it in and hand raise it with the baby cockatiel I am hand raising or try to foster it to another hen? My other hens chicks are about 2 weeks older than this one. (This little one is only 6 days old, I'm not sure that a foster would take it being so much smaller than their own chicks)

No I wouldn't do that yet.

 

Keep monitoring regularly and burping when necessary, it usually stops once the chicks reach the 14 day mark or are on to a more solid mix than just crop milk.

 

If the mother hen is definitely rejecting the chick and not feeding it then I would consider fostering the chick. But because it's 2 weeks younger than the foster nest I would move this chick and perhaps the second eldest over to the foster nest so that the hen raises 2 younger chicks to fledgling - don't know if you're following me on this?

Edited December 1, 200816 yr by renee

Is it just Air ? is there a little white milk liquid in there too?

one of my chicks had the same problem, however it did not grow at all. It lasted 2 weeks of me hand feeding it and there were times where it was getting quite strong. Unfortunately it did pass away. I hope your little one has more luck.

can you post a picture please