I'm such a dork! Questions...

[Hobbley_Farm]

After my last catastrophe, I started putting eggs in the bator again. I put two or three (on different days) and then waited a few days and put several more in. I don't know what I was thinking but I dated the "several" and didn't date the originals.

Well...I promptly forgot about the originals. (I have a memory of a geriatric Alzheimer patient)

Well...Last night I was telling my hubby that the eggs should hatch between xmas and new years! I thought that was really cool. This morning, he comes in before leaving for work and said that one of my eggs was making peeping noises! I now have a fully hatched chick in the bator!

I'm delighted and upset (because I don't want it to be ALONE.) I'm hoping the other one or two (I really can't remember) will hatch.

I've already sorted out a place in my closet to keep them (because of the last fiasco) But what IF this is the only one to hatch for the next coupla weeks? Will it be "odd" because it wasn't raised up around others like him for his first couple of months?

Who has raised just 1 chick (by choice or accident) and did they mesh with the other chickens eventually?

 

[swtangel321]

CONGRATS on the baby

It's been done before, lets just keep hoping 1 more hatches so he/she has a friend.

Did you up the hum in the bator a little ? I wouldnt up it to 65% b/c you have other younger eggs in there, but the ones that should hatch need higher hum (thats the problem with staggered hatches)


I would leave the baby in the bator for a while and see if anymore hatch. ohhh and DONT OPEN THE BATOR

 

[Patchesnposies]

The little singleton chicks that I have hatched are always a little more bonded to me than the others. So in that respect I guess they are odd.

We had five little serama's hatch out a couple of weeks ago and they are all bonded to each other.

Then we had one little one hatch by itself and it would run back and forth in the brooder peeping its little head off when it couldn't see me. Even when another one hatched two days later and they were in the brooder together, it would still be frantic if I wasn't around.

After a few days I put them both in with the other five and he still HAD to be able to see me. So I had to put a bandaid box, sideways, covered by a soft cloth up against the side of the brooder so he could stand on it and see me. The seramas are so small that they couldn't see over the side.

Only then was he happy! My husband gives me no end of grief about it.

But, Hey! It works!

 

[horsejody]

Maybe you could put a fuzzy little stuffed toy in the brooder with it.

 

[Bammony]

I have a friend that only had one chick hatch and he did put a stuffed animal and also a small mirror in the brooder. He said the chick would stay close to the mirror and would peep to it. That chick mixed right in with the other adult hens when the time came. No problems at all. Good luck!

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

Quote:
Well, DUH! That's a Great idea! I wonder how long it would have taken me (if ever) to figure that one out on my own!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I had two chicks hatch as singletons this summer/fall. Both of them were on their own for at least 4 weeks, and they merged just fine with the older chicks. Nugget was the first, and I had bought some older chicks when she was about 4 weeks old. She had no problem making friends. I would have to tuck her up under the wing of a young cockerel that she had taken up with for the first few nights that she was 'on her own' but she figured it out for herself and did just fine. I didn't have an animal or anything in there with her (didn't know of that trick at the time). She was a big spoiled baby, and would often sit on the back of my neck, curled up under my hair. The other chick was alone for about 2-3 weeks. I had other older chicks at the time, but was afraid to put him in with them. Once I did, there was no problems. He did have a mirror and an animal, and was the quietest thing, unless he knocked the mirror over and couldn't find his 'friend'.

I hope that the others don't take too long to come out! You should have no problems putting this one in with the others, after they are getting around pretty good.

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

lol. After the last time I put one in that was a few days younger...I don't think i will do that again. I'll just have another brooder put in my closet.

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

Quote:
I did get a mirror and Echo (the chicks name) talks to itself and seems content. Great idea! Thanks so much