Do baby chicks get lonely?

[RazorZroman]

I got 9 eggs in an incubator and only 1 is fertile and currently hatching. I am 100% certain that the other ones will not hatch. Will it get lonely by its self and if so, is there and toys to make that will occupy it enough until it is big enough to go in with the big hens? Any answer is appreciated!

 

[chickens really]

A mirror will help with the loneliness......


Cheers!

 

[RazorZroman]

Thanks! We got really unlucky with this hatch!

 

[shadowscar00]

I would also recommend a feather duster! Helps to have something to cuddle with

 

[azygous]

"Loneliness" isn't the issue. That's a human emotion.

What a solitary chick experiences is the instinct to call out and to try to locate other chicks. It's an instinct rooted in survival both as a flock animal that needs the presence of its own kind for a sense of well being, but also for warmth and safety.

So, your problem is to try to satisfy those instincts.

A feather duster or mirror would address just one small part of the problem. You will also need to provide warmth and comfort and a sense of safety.

I recommend the heating pad system that can satisfy one of these important needs for warmth and closeness, very much like being under a broody hen. There are always threads on how to do the heating pad brooding on this forum. It's simple and easy and safe.

I was worried about a single chick hatching in my flock this past summer. I had given a broody hen three eggs to sit on but just one hatched a live chick. The chick did extremely well and is now almost fully grown and solidly integrated into the flock of twenty-four. She is so well adjusted because she was raised in the flock from the start.

The way to give your chick the sense that it's a part of the flock is to brood it right alongside the adults using a safe pen with the heating pad system. A couple of tightly rolled socks shoved under the heating pad with the chick can give it the sense it's with other chicks. To learn how to work the integration, please refer to my article on outdoor brooding in the block of articles linked below this post.

Feel free to ask any questions after reading the article. I love to help!