Should I steal a friend?

[zyklonbetty]

I have (had) two broody Serama hens that were collectively laying on 8 eggs. All but one hatched on time..the last little guy was two days behind and "moms" were already out with the other 7 on the pasture (with our mixed flock...everything from large Wyandottes to a frizzle Cochin bantam ALSO raising a Serama chick) when this little guy was trying to hatch. I grabbed mommie up and put them back thinking it hatching would trigger one of them to lie on top of it and take care of it. They both started pecking at it and the other chicks picked apart pieces of the shell (and were essentially chasing each other around with pieces of the broken shell.)
He still had about a day to "cook" and I know he wasn't ready to be out so I brought him inside ( * I KNOW i intervened with nature- but this is unfortunately a controlled environment and I have hand raised many chicks (that are all functioning members of the flock now..including one of the moms)) to let him finish hatching.

After keeping it under a heat lamp all night, he decided it was time to get up-but his yolk and cord were still partially attached. Fearing it may already be too late I took him outside and placed him quietly under the wing of one of the sleeping moms and waiting until the morning.

Going out there this morning he was a peeping fluffball like the rest, but buried under about 4 " of a pile of straw from them scratching around in the coop. I picked him up and dusted him off and set him down on top of the bedding. The moms immediately began pecking him and throwing him around. I took this as a sign that he was coming inside with me....

My question is: with so many chicks, and chickens being social creatures (and children being accepting and non-judgmental think it best that I scoop up another chick to raise inside with it so that when I do put it out it has a "partner?" I have had it happen before that a chicken comes into the family alone and it never adjusts as well as a pair or trio.

I am also thinking that a chick that is already out there scratching and hunting would be able to "show" this little guy what to do in a way that I know I can not do. I have a few that are actually smaller than he is that I was thinking about grabbing one from so there is less fear of "bullying" if there is any.

Any input would be great- thanks in advance.

 

[JakeBremer]

I would take one and put him with the little guy.
If not put a stuffed animal with him so he wont feel lonely.

 

[Nicole01]

I'd take 2 personally. Then 3 can be integrated back into the flock.

I don't mind integrating at all. I take it very slow and everything goes smoothly. I'm on my 3rd integration this year. I lost a couple hens and chicken math got the best of me!

 

[Vicky2479]

I agree with Nicole01, take 2 or even 3 if you have the room that way if anything happens to 1 or you end up with a Roo or 2 that you have to cull later it will still have a friend. I had a single chick so I got it 3 friends, turned out it was a Roo as well as 1 of the new ones so I kept the 2 hens, they live with the rest of my flock but you can tell they are their own little group.

 

[redmouse]

Yep I'd grab him up a friend or two Whenever I've had just one little guy hatch I've always tried to get a little pal for it. I hatched a single runner drake a couple of years ago (my incubator broke, spiked up to 120F, then gave up, I thought I was very lucky to have even that little one hatch!) and I couldn't locate a friend for him for a couple of days, and Oh my word! The peeping! He'd start high pitched peeping as soon as I left the room, and not stop until I came back. As soon as I found him some little runner friends he went as quiet as a mouse

I find they're so much less stressed when they have company and they do learn from each other, like if one is eating it'll encourage the others to join in. They definitely stayed in their little group when I added them to the flock, which I think is good because then one little soul won't get left out

 

[Siberria]

Yeah I'd say get one or two more to keep him company. They are always calmer with a friend, good thinking.