Sole Survivor what to do?

[pgpoultry]

So....a lousy hatch from shipped eggs 1/6.....but the little guy is here against the odds.....alone.

No day old chicks available locally to give him (well hoping it's her actually) company, and chicks aren't posted in GB. No recently broody hen to offer him to.

For those of you who have had this situation....what is it best to do?

Thanks,

Sandie

 

[Glenbogel06]

I had a single chick that I raised for a few days before finding it a broody with other chicks about the same age. What I did was moved the brooder into my "TV room" so that I could spend time with it when I was around. I also found a small stuffed bear to put in the brooder with it, and after a little bit, the chickie would snuggle up with the bear. Also it loved to lounge over bunched up rag.

A lone chick is a very sad thing to see, but I would say to just do the best that you can; talk to it, pick it up. If you can (or even want to) order more chicks, that would be great but it's understandable if you can't or don't want to order anymore (not with that survival rate).

Good luck!

 

[HeatherLynn]

i am in a similar situation. how much harm would hatchery chicks cause? since they are vaccinated and mine is not

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You can put a mirror in with it, and a feather duster for it to snuggle under. Also a stuffed animal. You can wrap it in a towel and put it down your shirt with it's face out to breathe.

I never even order vaccinated chicks on internet. But I do sometimes buy them from the feed store vaccinated.

 

[Chicken Chat]

I have raised a couple of lone chicks so far, they are adults now. They have turned out to be my friendliest birds. I put a little stuffed dog in there with them under the heat lamp for company and within an hour they are already cuddled up to it and like to hide under its ear like a momma's wing. As they grew, they perched on top of it.
I set up a card table in each room and carried the brooder with me to each room I settled into so they could have company. Also, I would get them out and cuddle with them while watching tv or on the computer. I have babied my other chicks that have been raised in a group but they are not as loving as these two that were brooded alone. I was just extra careful when I released them into the rest of the flock.

 

[pgpoultry]

Thank you, (s)he is looking fine today and has been taken out a few times and petted. (S)he is pretty quiet so far, but is alert and starting to peck, we're just going to have to spoil it even more than the others!

Sandie

 

[fiddleblue]

Interesting to read about this question, because I was wondering about that myself. I had 8 hens and was raising another two chicks to add to them, and at about 3 months old one of the two was killed by a coon. The survivor of the pair cried a lot at first, losing her "sister", but eventually she found comfort just being around the other, older hens, even if she was WAY at the bottom of the pecking order and had to resort to being a "tree-dwelling" chicken, staying always UP to keep from being pecked. I was impressed with her adaptability. Nice to know a chick can be raised alone. I wonder if a full grown hen could live alone though. I think she'd be too lonely living her whole life alone...

 

[pgpoultry]

Well, this little soul is doing well.
S(he) has learnt very quickly to do the distress call. Immediately taken out of the brood box this changes to contented chirpings.
My 20 year old daughter has tied a margarine tub round her neck filled with a towel and is carrying the chick around in this for periods to ' keep it company'.
What have we done????
Sandie