One chick is a loner?

[insiderart]

I currently have 5 chicks of various ages. The 2 oldest ones rule the roost (so to speak). The middle 2 are very busy always following the oldest. Then there's chicken little. Ol' chicken little is maybe just 4-5 days younger than the middle 2. It's really not a joiner. I find it sleeping by itself, it will eat with the others (for a while), and if the others make that "sqeeeeee! something interesting!" call it will go see and watch for a while. Then wander off on it's own. So strange!

It appears to be healthy, and growing well. Doesn't seem to have anything wrong with it. Just is a loner. So weird for a little chick.

 

[gritsar]

I have a loner chicken. She's been that way her whole life. I give her extra TLC and make sure that when they are out free-ranging she stays more or less in the general area of the flock. Just the way she is.

 

[Matt A NC]

I seem to always get at least one loner every year. If you give them "special" attention, they seem to connect with people alot more then those feathery things.

You do have to be careful, especially if you freerange for any amount of time. There is safety in numbers and those loners are easier for pedators. I lost my precious Stella this past January. She liked to play around alone in the outer garden. That is where I found her remains after the hawk had fed.

My little Cream is my current loner. Though she has taken up with Frances, so I don't worry as much. I do have to get her out of the big cherry tree every night and place her in with the other Dutch, but that is not too much trouble.

Matt