Only one chick... any advice?

[chickerchick]

I put 4 eggs in my incubator, and day 21 none of them hatched. I put it down to the incubator (which is years old and very unreliable), and decided to wait a few more days just incase. It is now day 24 so I decided to candle them and see if theres anything going on in there. Sadly I couldn't see anything moving in three of the eggs and they were very light, but there was DEFINATELY something wriggling around in number 4 and it was much heavier than the others!

However, i'm not sure what to do if only one chick hatches.

I have a new incubator with 10 eggs in, and they're about 16 days off hatching. Will the chick be okay on its own until then? And when they hatch and settle into their brooder can I put them together straight away? or will the little ones need to grow a bit first? thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

for a lone chick, a mirror and feather duster or small stuffed animal to huddle with are good.

Let the new chicks get more mobile at about 2 or 3 days and then you can put them together. The lone one will enjoy having friends.

Sounds like the temps were low in the old incubator.

 

[dekel18042]

for a lone chick, a mirror and feather duster are good.

Let the new chicks get more mobile at about 2 or 3 days and then you can put them together. The lone one will enjoy having friends.

Sounds like the temps were low in the old incubator.

X2 on this advice, but I would probably try the feed store or Tractor Supply to get it a friend or two. In case you need six, perhaps you can hang out in the store and when someone goes to buy, offer to split an order or tack your peeps on. Yes, you can raise one. I've done it, but it is easier when you have several.

 

[genericusername]

Can you get a couple companion chicks off Craigslist? I just had a lady buy a couple chicks off me to keep her lonely only company.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If it were me, I'd just wait till your others hatch. Biosecurity wise, it scares me bringing in chicks from other sources, especially CL or a feed store where many people that have poultry have been handling chicks.