Sitemaps

We have an abandoned chick, will she be ok living alone2007-11-24 17:16:32

Our hens have had a dozen or so chicks recently and one has been abandoned because she has a funny foot (it claws inwards instead of straight) and now she is six days old and as healthy as anything but she chirps and squawks if she's left alone. Right now she's living in a hamster cage and spends most of her time sitting on my shoulder or under my jumper and goes outside for maybe half an hour a day, but it doesn't seem like the proper life for a chicken and she is getting too spoilt.

So I want her to eventually live outside (when she's bigger of course) but she'll be alone, would that be ok? Or should she carry on living inside with us and we get her a cat bed or something? I'm worried that if we get a chick friend for her they'll fight because she's so used to living with people.

Answers:

She should be fine alone..but will be your baby rather than a normal chicken! The other chickens will prolly pick on her because of the deformity..but you can try and get her a baby chick when she gets older! She may "mother" it, and it will grow up thinking she is perfectly normal! Glad you saved this baby!

---

how could u abandon a poor chick how could u ven put this on here people might call the rspca on u

---

I have actually raised baby chickens as my pets while at the same time having others outside. You can't keep the chicken in the house because they are meant to live outside. I would say when she is bigger don't worry about it she is meant to be out there with the other chickens. But it may be a good idea to put anther chick in with her so she can learn to be social again and not so attached to only people. I will say I'm glad you took her aside from the other chickens so she had a chance to survive.

---

Once she's reached adulthood, start introducing her to the other chickens. Put her in a pen for a few days, separate from the others, but put it so they can see her and she can see them, then put her in with the others. She may be given a hard time at first but after a couple of days it will calm down and they will live together fine.

---

I think she'll be fine, she will be more loving and less human frightened. Make sure you get her a good chick feed and then give her as much TLC as poss. Please dont be too upset though if she doesn't make it as hand reared animals have greater chance of dying whilst still babies. I have heard of people selling hand reared chickens so possibly you could try and get one of them so she'll have a friend.

---

We had a similar problem with a chicken. We separated her from the others with a net fence so she was not a complete stranger to them. It took about six months but they are now all living together quite happily.

---

Once she is old enough and able to feed herself she should be ok just monitor the situation yourself when you do eventually put her outside and if you feel she is being bullied go out and stick up for her at the end of the day you are her mum and her protector those outside will know that and she will too just hang around like her own mum would and bit by bit just back away aslong as the others know you are going to come to her aid every time she calls they will soon leave her alone. I think she will prefer to be outside eventually it is bred into them so what if she chooses to come into you at night whats the harm in that if thats the case make her somewhere to roost that you are able to keep clean and hygenic and let her come in but i think you will find as she approaches adulthood she will want to be with her own but she will never forget what you have done for her and she will always have that bond with you. in time she will want a family of her own and when that happens all will be well. I think it's lovely what you are doing i envy what you have it sounds idyllic, and well done to you for giving her this chance to have a life.