Boy Randy, you got that right! I hatched a lone chick, a roo, and he was 5 weeks younger than the older birds, and 5 weeks older than the youngest clutch. He was like a chicken without a country, NO ONE liked him. Now that he's older (and meaner) he doesn't get picked on as much, but he is still low man on the totem pole. Even the youngest pullets will go after him. I think I'd rather have none hatch than to ever do a single again.
I sure hope the rest of your eggies get to crackin'! Good luck!!
As far as introducing them to the flock, I have a small coop within the main run, but fenced off. I leave the newcomers in there for about a month. The older birds can see them, so they kind of except the fact they are there. Then I made a small pen (covered) inside the main coop, and put the chicks in there for another month. They are now in the same coop with the big birds at night, but in the day go out to their little pen. After about a month, they are bigger, all big birds are used to seeing them in their coop, so with supervision, I turn the chicks loose with the big birds. There is always a flurry of spats, but I stand in there with them, and throw meal worms to them all. The act of actually eating together seems to clinch it, and they settle down after a bit. It is a long process, but unless you've got many pens, and I don't, then it's the only way to go that I can see...
