Just one lonely orphaned chick made it into this world! Now what?

[MarlaKaye]

I have a single hatched SILKIE chick, in a brooder here by my bed.

Only one of 15 EGGS that made it. We Have two more in the incubator- due tonite. This one has been so lonely, I have had to cuddle it constantly. It is now 2.5 days old.
We had a single one hatch the other day, and it failed to thrive. It Didn't eat or drink. I worry that it was my fault because I put it in with some week old seramas. (5) of them... hoping that would help. Can't say the rest without upsetting myself.
So I didn't want to put this one in with the Serama's... but today it was just crying so much and hadn't voluntarily taken a drink yet. So DH said bring in one of the (now 2 week olds seramas) and put it with the newborn silkie. Well that made two of us who thought it was worth a try.
Now, I suppose you already know how this story is going since you are all experts right?
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Its been a few hours and they are getting along fine. The SILKIE follows the SERAMA around brooder. The SERAMA recognizes brooder as it's own nursery. It seemed to cry for it's own siblings a few times. I let it out to fly around a bit, and the SILKIE babe cried for it to come back. THE SERAMA went back on it's own. It has done this 3 x's now, and goes back more quickly each time, AT THE behest of the SILKIE babe.

Here is the best part. The SILKIE is drinking on her own now. I am so relieved. And of course since it has been a few hours it's legs are getting stronger, too.
Has anyone had experience with this before. Hoping the two eggs left of the next batch make it. Candling showed there rest of the batch to be not viable.I think it was a batch of 8. Not having good results with these eggs we bought on Ebay. Several in each batch aren't even fertile. Perhaps this is a result of buying them in Fall/Winter.
DH says to tell you that the SERAMAS did no harm to the SILKIE that died. I'm just sad about it's death.

MarlaKaye

 

[BeardedChick]

There's a post on here recently about raising a single chick. I have one, too, from a batch of 6 eggs where only one made it.

I read on BYC to give her a featherduster to hide under, that works really well as a momma hen. Mine also got a mirror to look at, and she loves the chickie friend in the mirror.

She is doing fine. It will be another 14 days before any other eggs might hatch, so we just have to get by the best we can.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

AWWWWWW, she is SO cute!