So I bought 11 silkie eggs, but by the time they got here the PO had scramble most of them, tomorrow is day 18 and only 1 has developed. So if this 1 hatches I don't want it to be lonely, but I'm also afraid to put it in the same brooder as my 1 week olds, I don't want them to pick on my Silkie baby. So should I brood it alone, or check to see if TSC or a feed store has day old babies and pick up 1 or 2 more, or will the older chicks play nice? The 1 week olds are not staying with me, they will be going to my inlaws ranch, but I will be keeping the silkie as a pet, so "She" will be getting extra attention from me, but is that enough?
I've got a Silkie roo that was hatched as a loner. I gave him plenty of attention, and he was absolutely fine. Put a plush friend in the brooder with the chick, and spend as much time as you can with it. I'm a "queen" when it comes to hatching singles! "Sparky" is now out in the coop with my other Silkies and is perfectly normal, healthy, and happy. But if you are able to get yours a live buddy from the feed store, that would be great...as long as you plan on keeping the buddy, too! I think it would be harder on the chick to have a live buddy that's taken away at some point rather than just raise it alone if that's the way it's going to end up anyway. Good luck!
I agree that you should get a live buddy or two. Chickens are social/flock animals and you shouldn't really keep just one by itself. My friends were given a silkie roo and they kept him by himself and he made everybody CRAZY. They really do need friends, especially long-term when they're all grown up. It should be easy to grab a couple at a feedstore the day your baby hatches, I would think. You might want to call ahead, though, because there's been a run on chicks this year and lots of stores run out within hours of getting a new shipment.
awww..I have a simple solution-send it to me!!! hahaha--I wish you the best that another hatches with it!!!
I would suggest getting another one for a friend. The sooner after it hatches the better. I had a lone hatcher and I waited a week to get a friend. All my feed store had was 3 week old silkies. So it was two weeks older, and twice the size. The problem I had was that the one I hatched, after a week of being alone did not know what another one was. The little one picked on the big one, bad enough I had to put a screen in the middle so that the little one could get use to the other. After about 24 hours they did really well together. Now they are best buds and are not happy if I take one out without the other. So I would say that a week older probably is not a big deal. If they are leaving to go to your inlaws then it may be better to pick up one to keep.
What to do you ask!? Well, the answer is simple...MORE SILKIES! We all need um! On a serious note...I agree with the one who says she needs a friend, don't we all
