Lonely chick?

[Sweet_Chickies1018]

We sadly found one of our new ~6wk old chick had died. It was an unforeseen accident. We got her & one other chick together. Now the other chick seems lonely. We have 3 full grown hens, but we have been keeping them separate, because the few times I've let them all roam around together, the hens like to peck the littles. I'd like to get the older hens to be better company for my one chick. Any advice on the best way to do this, without too much pecking?

Or should we look into getting another chick around 6wks to keep her company until they get bigger?

 

[slordaz]

I would work on integrating her, and yes there will be some pecking, but if you get another one it's a month quarantine before they could be together anyway. theres some excellent articles on integrating properly here

 

[Feath3rDust3r]

I put mine in a puppy kennel inside the coup for a couple of weeks. That way they can get to know each other first. Once you let them out there's one or two pecks and they're accepted.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You will need to pen the chick where it can be seen, but not pecked for a few weeks. Your older hens will not make friends with it, they will tolerate it until it's fully mature than it will fully integrate into the flock.

I personally would find another chick or two if possible so it has some it's own age to bond with if possible. It may not bond to the new ones either in the same way it bonded to chicks it was raised with.

 

[Sweet_Chickies1018]

I will try integrating little chick with hens. My hens free range, & little chick isn't big enough for that just yet (we've had a cat attack months ago on one of our silkies). I've got little chick where other hens can see her, but can't get to her. I'll do some supervised integration during the day. My hope would be to be able to lock little chick with the hens in the coop at night so she isnt lonely.