Broody raising a single chick

[azygous]

My five-year old Sussex Linda hatched out one chick a few days ago. So far, she's a great mama. The chick is eating and drinking and active.

My concern is I've never had this situation. One time a couple years ago, this broody hatched a single chick but I raised it myself along with several other chicks the same age.

Will this chick face any special problems? Will it have integration issues? I'm in virgin, for me, territory, and would love to hear from others who have had this happen in their flock.

Lady Bug a few hours after hatching. She's a Cream Legbar, and appears to be a pullet, beating the odds. Two other eggs didn't hatch.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Last year I had the same situation, gave a broody 12 eggs only one hatched.

Of course mine was a Roo, but we kept him anyway since his father had already gone to freezer camp.

He integrated into the flock ok but did seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order long after he was bigger then the hens. It was only once he started to mature that he no longer got picked on.

When momma stops taking care of her, your chick will be a little "left out" by the rest of the flock but I think eventually she will find her place and integrate into your flock.

 

[azygous]

That's what I expected. I've always been a proponent of getting pals for single chicks so they won't be solitary, but it's just not possible in this case. Lady Bug is going to have to tough it out on her own, I guess.

 

[donrae]

I think she'll be fine.

I had a broody sneak off and come back with 4 chicks. She lost 3 (I'm pretty sure my barn cat had baby chick breath

) and the sole survivor is now almost 2 months old. He's doing fine in the main flock, never seemed to have any issues. Momma did "wean" him pretty early, but she was a first time broody so I don't know if having only one chick had anything to do with that. He found a tolerant mature Marans hen to hang out with at night and does just fine with everyone else during the day.

 

[azygous]

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm going to hope for the best and do what I can to help her integrate when the time comes.

I had a strange thing happen a few hours ago. I heard the chick screeching in distress, and ran to the coop where the two are housed apart, and the broody was pecking at the chick and was digging in the bedding in an absolute frenzy. I have no clue why she went nuts like that.

I picked the chick up and made sure it was okay, then I picked up the broody and tried to calm her down. She finally quieted down and went back to her corner and settled down and the chick crawled under her. She's been quiet since.

What do you suppose was going on? Food and water are handy for both. Plenty of room and no other distractions.