Okay. So, I know there are a LOOOTTT of threads on the subject. If I had one chick, just one, and raised it alone, could it be integrated with older birds (about seven months older) when it is big enough? That is my simple question. Is it possible? If so, how would I go about it? Thanks in advance!
I'd be more concerned with the raising one chick alone part than the integration. They are very social animals, a single chick is a sad thing. Better to have at least two to keep each other company as they grow up.
I had one chick hatch about 8 months ago and added her to my established flock around 6 months of age. I put her in the coop late one night while the big girls and rooster were roosting. I covered one of the egg boxes with a small cut out of cardboard that she could escape to if need be. I let my flock out in the morning around 7am and they free range until they put themselves in the coop around 6pm. So she wasn't confined in the coop all day with the other chickens. For the first couple days I had to literally carry her to the barn (where they are fed a large scoop of flock raiser) because she was nervous leaving the coop. She never left the barn during the day and I would have to herd her back to the coop at night for lock up. It took her a good 3 weeks to adjust to the flock and now she sticks by the roosters side! It was tough for her adjusting to not being with humans all day long. But she is healthy and loves being apart of the flock now! Good luck!
