Lonely chick

[CKfarm22]

What started out with two chicks unfortunately ended with just one. My chick is 5 weeks old and just lost the other chick she was with. Will she get lonely and pass away from not having a companion?

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens need flockmates, which is why two is never the right number. Find or order a few more, sooner is better than later.
Mary

 

[CKfarm22]

Chickens need flockmates, which is why two is never the right number. Find or order a few more, sooner is better than later.
Mary

We have three older ones but it’s getting too cold in the season

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since you have other chickens she should be ok once she's integrated in with them, although a solo integration is tougher for sure. But at least she'll have a flock.

No she won't die of loneliness but a mirror or stuffed animal can give her a sense of companionship for now. Not sure what your integration plans were, but might want to consider integrating earlier rather than later so she'll have companions and can pick up chicken behaviors from the others.

 

[Folly's place]

Set up a 'safe zone' for her in the coop, so she has a place with her own food and water that the bigger birds can't enter. It's not too cold for a fully feathered chick, she needs to be out there next to the flock, and then integrated with that safe zone available for a while, and more than one feeder and waterer.
Mary

 

[CKfarm22]

Since you have other chickens she should be ok once she's integrated in with them, although a solo integration is tougher for sure. But at least she'll have a flock.

No she won't die of loneliness but a mirror or stuffed animal can give her a sense of companionship for now. Not sure what your integration plans were, but might want to consider integrating earlier rather than later so she'll have companions and can pick up chicken behaviors from the others.

She’s in a see no touch in the coop and once she got bigger we were going to just let her in with the others. But right now those plans might change considering the one died

 

[Aunt Angus]

She’s in a see no touch in the coop and once she got bigger we were going to just let her in with the others. But right now those plans might change considering the one died

In my experience, if there is a large difference in ages, the solo bird may not fit in. I really think it's best to get another bird if you can.

 

[Folly's place]

So do you know why the chick died? Didn't pick up on that at first, but this could be an issue. However, these chicks weren't actually in isolation, so may not matter...
mary

 

[CKfarm22]

So do you know why the chick died? Didn't pick up on that at first, but this could be an issue. However, these chicks weren't actually in isolation, so may not matter...
mary

No i’m not sure. I let the chicks out from their “coop” and one (the one who died) went into the run. We were outside so i didn’t see a problem with it. Turned my back for 5 minutes while in the garage and heard a big squawk from the run. I ran out and the chick was laying in the corner. I picked it up and it was bleeding. I gave it to my boyfriend because i started crying because it was my fault i let them out

 

[Folly's place]

So it either ran into the fence, or was killed by someone. So sorry for your loss, it's always tough.
mary