Keeping a chick solo

[Anigozanthos]

We recently hatched in a 3 egg incubator and unfortunately, with one egg not developing and one chick dying our new little girl is an only child.

We have three older hens in the coop, two are just at point of lay and the third is only just over three months old.

At the moment we have little Stella on her own inside. I've put in a mirror which seems to be keeping her settled for now. I don't know anyone else who is hatching at the moment so if we can't get another chick, how will this one go? Any other tips for keeping a solo chick?

This is Stella.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

is the other one dead?

 

[Anigozanthos]

is the other one dead?

Yes unfortunately the second chick that hatched died.

 

[clankeyes]

could you go to the feed store and get her a friend ?

 

[subhanalah]

Feed stores have been getting chick's in, in most parts of the country. You can totally get her some friends! Also, you can look on Craigslist for day old chicks, but run the risk of biosecurity problems.

 

[clankeyes]

Feed stores have been getting chick's in, in most parts of the country. You can totally get her some friends! Also, you can look on Craigslist for day old chicks, but run the risk of biosecurity problems.

what is " biosecurity "

 

[subhanalah]

what is  " biosecurity " 

It means you run the risk of bringing some unwanted bad guys (marek's and other diseases) home with you from the other farmer's flock. If it is an NPIP farm, there's a much lower risk.

 

[clankeyes]

AH Okay... now that makes sense... my goal is to get all my babies from one place. at this point looks like maybe 2 places I have my heart set on 2 breeds and the local store will only be getting in 1 so far. But I plan on vaccinating them.

 

[Anigozanthos]

Feed stores have been getting chick's in, in most parts of the country. You can totally get her some friends! Also, you can look on Craigslist for day old chicks, but run the risk of biosecurity problems.

Sorry I should have clarified, I'm in a small town in Australia, the local feed store doesn't have any chicks at the moment and Craigslist is not big here. I've looked on gumtree and the closest are about 500km away. The feedstore said maybe try again in a week and a half but I'm not sure about introducing new chicks by that point with the age discrepency and the length of time Stella will have been on her own.

 

[subhanalah]

If they are within 2-3 weeks of eachother, they *should* be fine. Just watch closely and separate them if you see any blood or serious violence. You could keep them in a brooder together with a partition of hardware cloth if she doesn't take to them. I am thinking she will be overjoyed at having some chook friends!