Going to have only one hatch. What to do?

Sure!

 

I wouldn't put a newborn in with 3-week-olds. First off, they have different temperature requirements (a day-old should have about 95 degrees, 3-w/o's should have about 80). Second, the 3-w/o's are easily twice as big as the day-old unless the day-old is LF and the 3-w/o's are bantam. Third, even if they are the same relative size, they are not at the same maturity level. A day-old will sit around and sleep a lot, 3-w/o's are very active.

If you have a feather duster you can put it in a brooder with the lone chick, this should keep it company. Otherwise, put a small stuffed animal in the brooder with the new chick. When the chick is older (2-3 weeks) you could probably then put it with the other chicks, but not right now.

ETA: If you have one chick who is smaller than the rest in your 3-w/o group you can put it with the newborn when it is 4-5 days old. Just be sure to watch them closely to make sure the older one is not picking on the younger one.

 

You might try posting on your State thread to see if anyone near you can help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=99679

Housing them side by side with a barrier as you proposed is a good idea. It really should help. You can add a stuffed animal or maybe hang something like a dust mop for it to get under for comfort. Putting in a small mirror so it can see its own reflection also helps keep them from being so lonely.

Good luck!

 

Again, I have to disagree. Day-olds and 3-week-olds have different temperature requirements and shouldn't be in the same brooder.

 

I had a lone chick hatch today (my first hatch ever). I have two 3 1/2 week old chicks, and opted to put the new baby in once she was dry. I moved the cuckoo maran chick to a small hen house with a heat light (she's enclosed) nd kept our silkie chick with the newborn. pluggie, the silkie, is kinda special and so far they seem to be getting along splendidly. I was farid the CM would tromple the baby.

Anyway, Pluggie the silkie baby acts more like a newborn. She's all cuddled up with new Wynona. She's about 1 1/2 times the new peep's size, and was behind in growth from her hatching mates (who I adopted out). She kept getting "poop plugs'' stuck to her butt (hence "Pluggie") in her first week or so, which I had to manually remove, cusing a bald butt. I suspect she's literally a dwarf or something, beyond being bantam.

I like the idea of a partition if you can, or keeping her separate with a mirror & comfort item, unless your other chicks are small.

Let us know how it goes...

 

I had some chicks that were a month difference in age. When two chicks were a month old and the other was two months old I put them together. I didn't have any problems. When the lone chick was in a brooder box I put a terry cloth in with it. It like to sleep on the cloth.