Hi ,

I have some urgent questions/situation i would like some advise on. I noticed last night on my rounds on checking nest boxes that a hen had started plicking down from one of her chicks but apart from that everything else looked okay. This morning on my rounds i dicsovered she has stopped feeing them so i started to try and give them the vetafarm hand rearing mix on a feeding spoon, i have lost one chick so far and have one left. i am having trouble getting it to feed and it's crop is about 1/4 full. What is the trick to getting it to eat, it is about 2 & 1/2 weeks old.

I have another hen who has one chick only but it is about 3 weeks old, is there any poosibility she would except it if i placed it in there (i am assuming not).

 

What would make a hen all of the sudden do this?

 

Thanks,

Lib

No foster parents you can put it with ?

No foster parents you can put it with ?

 

 

The only one with chicks at the moment is the hen that has only the one 3 week old chick, is that worth a try?

No foster parents you can put it with ?

 

 

The only one with chicks at the moment is the hen that has only the one 3 week old chick, is that worth a try?

 

Yes, No!, what do you think?

Hi Lib,

 

I'm no expert on this and having my own fostering issues. But I'm fairly sure the 3 week old chick is to old to add a foster with it, especially if their are no younger ones. I'm not sure what to suggest for you to help you getting the bub to eat more other than crop feeding, others will be able to assist I'm sure. Hopefullyone of the more experienced breeders will be on soon.

 

As to why she stopped feeding, has she come out of condition?, Did the chicks seem healthy, maybe she sensed something was wrong? Also what about the cock? Is he not feeding them either?

 

Fingers crossed for you that you can get it sorted, sorry to hear you have lost one chick already..

Hi Lib,

 

I'm no expert on this and having my own fostering issues. But I'm fairly sure the 3 week old chick is to old to add a foster with it, especially if their are no younger ones. I'm not sure what to suggest for you to help you getting the bub to eat more other than crop feeding, others will be able to assist I'm sure. Hopefullyone of the more experienced breeders will be on soon.

 

As to why she stopped feeding, has she come out of condition?, Did the chicks seem healthy, maybe she sensed something was wrong? Also what about the cock? Is he not feeding them either?

 

Fingers crossed for you that you can get it sorted, sorry to hear you have lost one chick already..

 

I agree with this

Hi Lib,

 

I'm no expert on this and having my own fostering issues. But I'm fairly sure the 3 week old chick is to old to add a foster with it, especially if their are no younger ones. I'm not sure what to suggest for you to help you getting the bub to eat more other than crop feeding, others will be able to assist I'm sure. Hopefullyone of the more experienced breeders will be on soon.

 

As to why she stopped feeding, has she come out of condition?, Did the chicks seem healthy, maybe she sensed something was wrong? Also what about the cock? Is he not feeding them either?

 

Fingers crossed for you that you can get it sorted, sorry to hear you have lost one chick already..

 

hi,

She's not out of condition & i suppose if their crops are empty then the cock isn't feeding them either, as you said maybe they have sensed something is wrong.

I've never had this happen before and usually i have lots of chicks to add them to a foster nest but this time i don't. Oh well as they say that's how the cookie crumbles!

Hi Lib,

 

I'm no expert on this and having my own fostering issues. But I'm fairly sure the 3 week old chick is to old to add a foster with it, especially if their are no younger ones. I'm not sure what to suggest for you to help you getting the bub to eat more other than crop feeding, others will be able to assist I'm sure. Hopefullyone of the more experienced breeders will be on soon.

 

As to why she stopped feeding, has she come out of condition?, Did the chicks seem healthy, maybe she sensed something was wrong? Also what about the cock? Is he not feeding them either?

 

Fingers crossed for you that you can get it sorted, sorry to hear you have lost one chick already..

 

hi,

She's not out of condition & i suppose if their crops are empty then the cock isn't feeding them either, as you said maybe they have sensed something is wrong.

I've never had this happen before and usually i have lots of chicks to add them to a foster nest but this time i don't. Oh well as they say that's how the cookie crumbles!

 

Do you think it's possible that the hen is preventing the cock from being able to feed them? Maybe if you took the hen out, then the cock would take over?

 

Also, do you have a plastic syringe, the kind for dosing oral medication? It might get the hang of eating from that sooner than it would the spoon. You can squeeze a little over the back of its tongue, and force it to swallow at least a little that way. After a couple of days, they usually begin to realize it is food, and accept it more readily. (I hope it can make it that long. I'm so sorry you lost the one. )

 

Crop needling would probably be the best, quickest option of getting some food into him. (But I must admit, even though I have a crop needle, I am too scared to use it, and all of my parentless chicks have had to learn to eat from the syringe, or just starve until they could eat seed.)

 

I feel bad for you. I know how hard this is. I hope he comes out okay.