Single Hatched Chick... What to do now?

[rachelpotter]

As part of an "experiment" I set two of our hens eggs.. just to see if the Silkie roo we ended up taking in was actually doing anything when they were allowed to free range. Turns out.. YES he was... So fast forward to this am... one of the two made it to lockdown and hatched this am.



This baby is tiny. (Silkie/Delaware mutt) I have only every raised purchased chicks. It hatched about 4:30 this am and is still in the bator.

I'm trying to decide:
1. When to remove since we have no other eggs we are waiting for...
2. I have someone who has 2 - chicks who are a little over a week old... She has offerered them to me as buddies... so should I take her up on the offer and when should I put them together??


PLEASE Help!!


TIA
Rachel

 

[donrae]

You can go ahead and move it to the brooder as soon as it's dried and moving around.

I'd go ahead and get the other chicks. I'd wait til this baby is 3 days old or so, then just put them together. Just give the younger time to find it's feet and be eating and drinking okay.

Fun fact--according to niclandia, a genetics guru here, you should be able to sex your chick

A black skinned silkie rooster, over a white or yellow-legged hen will give sex link chicks. Males will have white/yellow/light legs, females will have dark/black. Take a peek and we'll see how it works out for you!

 

[rachelpotter]

You can go ahead and move it to the brooder as soon as it's dried and moving around.

I'd go ahead and get the other chicks. I'd wait til this baby is 3 days old or so, then just put them together. Just give the younger time to find it's feet and be eating and drinking okay.

Fun fact--according to niclandia, a genetics guru here, you should be able to sex your chick

A black skinned silkie rooster, over a white or yellow-legged hen will give sex link chicks. Males will have white/yellow/light legs, females will have dark/black. Take a peek and we'll see how it works out for you!

Interesting! Looks like we have med gray legs and dark skin... Female?

 

[Citychick11]

I had a staggered hatch with 4 one week, 1 the next, and 1 the next week. I kept the newest one separate for a few days so I could be sure it was eating and drinking. The littlest one is a week old now, and even though she is smaller by 1-2 weeks, she roosts and eats with everyone else. Sometimes, she will even eat crumbs from the mouth of the bigger chicks like a chick might do with her mom.

I recommend getting the other chicks so she has company.

 

[donrae]

Interesting! Looks like we have med gray legs and dark skin... Female?

From what he said, yes! A male would also have a white spot on the head (sex linked barring from the Delaware mother) but it can be hard to see on a non-black chick. It will be interesting to see how this little one turns out.