HELP! Raising baby chick alone?

[kimber56]

My brother-in-law just gave us an orphaned chick...the mother and other baby were killed. We have it inside a cage inside our large coop with our five other chickens. One chicken is about 6 years old and is the only surviving one from our original flock, and the other four are around 6 months old. The older five do well together and we haven't had any issues. If the baby gets close enough to the side of its cage the others will try and peck it. Every time I go to check on it, its usually frantically searching for a way out to be with the other chickens. Common sense tells me not to put the baby with the others, but I am not able to find baby chicks this time of year. Would it be better off staying in the cage inside the coop, or should I take it out altogether? Thanks for any advice!

 

[redsoxs]

How small is it? If it isn't at least 1/2 grown the others may attack and kill it. You may have to grow it up some before you integrate it with the others.

 

[kimber56]

It's still pretty small compared to the others, hard to say exactly how old since it hatched at my brother-in-law's. Our 6 month old chickens are the same size as our 6 year old chicken, so we felt comfortable putting them together. If I have to leave it by itself to get bigger, would that cause it stress so it won't be healthy? Our area doesn't get baby chicks until around Easter each year.

 

[darkbluespace]

I would probably take it out and give it a mirror so it felt like it had a friend!