can a chick be raised alone?

[Reiki Rooster]

Why cant you get a chick right now?

the time alone will still make your chicken lonely, depressed, and stressed. Its best to get another chick right now.

Buying another chicken later is better than raising it alone, but they will probably fight and will never be as bonded as two chicks raised together

They won’t fight, for years I have bought older hens and NEVER once has there been fights....pecking order gets established, but that is not a fight, cock fighting is a fight....

In a perfect world yes have more then one, but these are fowl...like having a single love bird as a pet, they bond strongly if in pairs but are perfectly fine and will bond with their human if single bird.

 

[AprilsZoo]

He might. He will be in emotional pain the whole time though

Emotional pain? Really?

yes really.

Anthropomorphize much?

 

[natyvidal]

We had a beautiful white chicken for a pet for many years. She free ranged and joined us opten to have fun. She even hatched her own babies and felt fulfilled as a mother. It’s possible.
Maybe that chick is the only one you can have today. But, in a few months or a year you might feel different, or moved and you can bring in new chicks for companionship.
As a baby give the chick a lot of attention and love.

 

[chicknmania]

So your saying they should just give up on the chick?

They shouldn't give up on the chick, but it is sad. If the OP can't buy another chick, maybe another chicken can be found as the chick gets older. There are chicks all over the place this time of year, not sure why buying another is not an option. In any case, stuffed animals and mirrors as others said always help.

The chick will imprint on people which is OK, but can be hard on it later on. We had a hen who deserted her only chick before it was really time to, then the mother hen died a short time later. The chick was by then about 4 weeks old, still needy of her mother. I filled in as best I could, until she grew enough to adapt to the flock. She still will want to snuggle in my arms sometimes, although she acts embarrassed if any of the flock sees her, lol. She's an adult hen, going on 2 years old now.

 

[THEChIcKeNwhisperer354]

They shouldn't give up on the chick, but it is sad. If the OP can't buy another chick, maybe another chicken can be found as the chick gets older. There are chicks all over the place this time of year, not sure why buying another is not an option. In any case, stuffed animals and mirrors as others said always help.

They said they would buy one from the farmers market but, no one knows if they did because they quit answering the thread.

 

[THEChIcKeNwhisperer354]

Your always going to get an equal amount of yess and nos with these types of questions.

 

[rhino1157]

My understanding is a single chick need a friend, buddy to hang out with. We had a single pullet years ago so we gave her a friend. A Rooster at the time that was nice and not mean. That was the beginning of our crew back then. The chicks, chickens will get bored. Even older chickens and Roo's get bored. My crew of 10 right now get bored. They have play toys to jump on and off of all day long.

Sorry, you can't have more than one.

Maybe some others can give you some advice.

We started with 4. 4 became 16. 16 became 34. 34 turned into a 100. Now my retirement fun hobby has become a full time job. Still it's a lot of fun, when I mow the yard, or field they follow me around. Bottom line they are very social critters, so no to one. Most hatcherys only sell 5 or more. The feed stores require purchases or 5 chicks as well. Chicken math says 1 will not be 1.

 

[SegiDream]

I'd say it will be okay to raise one alone. It's not ideal, will take extra time and effort, and I would not recommend keeping it alone for life.

I raised a sole chick once. Extenuating circumstances we had one broody hen and for some reason this one egg hatched several days earlier than the rest. I was worried the hen would abandon the nest to raise the lone chick so I brought the chick into the house into a temporary brooder aka cardboard box setup. I spent a lot of time keeping that chick company. Best way to describe it was like the chick had imprinted with me and would not leave my side. As soon as she grew wing feathers she would fly out of the brooder to find me. Even slept in the bed with me or on the bed rail much to my consternation. She would wait until I was asleep and then sneak out and I'd wake and find her under my hair or someplace. I was a very light sleeper. And it was super cute but not very pleasant. This went on for a couple weeks until we moved her out to be with the other chickens at about 4 weeks old. She was never sickly or skinny, she integrated into the flock just fine and lived a normal happy chicken life. But anyone entering the enclosure was likely to have her land on their head or shoulder and she was content to sit there while you refilled the water and feed and checked for eggs.

 

[Abbasgulzar7861]

can a chick be raised alone? how?, I buy only one chick not knowing that they are social, can I raised alone? , buying another chick is not a opcion sadly.

Yes chick can be raised alone, I personally did that many times and you know in 3 to 4 days that chick act like a tamed pet.

 

[Ascholten]

So, basically.... Your mileage may vary. Chickens are more of a group liking animal but they CAN be raised alone. How well it will do, depends on a lot of thing, breed being one of them. It's better to have 2 of them (or more) but 1 is doable, if you give it attention and don't just leave it locked in a cage / closet all day.

Aaron