Raising a single chick - any advice?

[Esther.R]

Well out of our 6 light sussex and 6 maran eggs we seem to have achieved one light sussex chick (will give them an extra day or so but no signs of activity and the chick was hatched last night after 12hrs or so of audible and then visible activity so not holding out much hope). Disappointing but one of those things.

Its bound to be a cockeral but that aside, any advice on rearing a single chick? Are they like handreared lambs that don't realise what species they are and are hard to integrate into a flock?

Any advice appreciated.

[CP]

Aww, poor little thing!

Firstly I would try to locate some friends for him/her if you can.

Hang up a mop head in the brooder with the ends just touching the floor & put a small mirror in there too. The mop acts like a mother hen & the chick will 'talk' to the mirror like it's another chick - quite funny to watch actually!

We had one chick hatch before but it was only on it's own for 10 days until the next lot hatched so I can't help with the last part of your question.

Good luck!

[sasha.p]

well i had this a few months back and ended up with a welsummer on its tod but i had hatched some chicks the month before from my sussex so had some that were a month older i kept the welsummer separated until i thought it was large enough to integrate with the others but when it hatched just encouraged it to eat chick crumbs by putting them on some paper and tapping as if my finger was pecking then it progressed to wetting my finger and dipping in the crumbs although the chick was feeding anyway i just wanted to make sure it was going to be nice and strong by helping it along when i did intergrate them there was no problems really they acted pretty normal i had them in our shed under a brooder so plenty of space to get away from each other if needed i just stayed and watched to make sure there was no bullying and they were fine have you tried advertising in the paper maybe somebody near you may have a day old you could have to keep the little one company? good luck

[Esther.R]

Thanks, I will try to find it some friends. Unfortunately up here no-one breeds commercially (except shetlands and they are not laying at this time of year) so cannot get hold of day old chicks or similar easily. Will ring around/try the paper and hope someone else has had something in the incubator. My landlord keeps offering me some almost POL marans which he incubated, which I might take since this hatch has been disappointing, but no use for chick company.

My quail are 4 weeks now - any good as chick company once it is a bit bigger?

[kated]

Try your local radio for a chick companion to lonesome ownsome....

Makes a great story for them and might come up with the goods.

[Tarka]

Get a couple of young chicks of similar age from a local breeder .

[mojo]

may i suggest the mop head is just OFF the floor i found this allowed easier access for chick........i have also resort to a towelling cover hotty bottle

[sunnys]

don't put it with the quail. quail can be evil little so and sos. I wouldn't trust them an inch with a chicken chick.
a makeup mirror is often appreciated by lonely chicks.

[Esther.R]

don't put it with the quail. quail can be evil little so and sos. I wouldn't trust them an inch with a chicken chick.
a makeup mirror is often appreciated by lonely chicks.

Thanks for the warning! I wouldn't have put it in until it was a lot bigger but I don't think I will put it in at all now.

It has a mirror along one edge of the brooder now and seems to be very interested in it, no mophead yet but will get one for it. It is doing very well, eating and drinking well and chattering away to itself and its reflection.

[Tracey Morris]

Any advice for a lone duckling?

[Welsh Duck]

Lone ducklings and chicks are an absolute nightmare!! They very often imprint on the first living being that they see. This is when in many cases you get ducks that think they are chickens..... They can also imprint on humans.... This is a complete pain. It is cute at first untill they start squeeking when you go out of sight. Getting additional duckling/chicks really is the best way.

[Esther.R]

Mine is now about 3 1/2 weeks old and thriving (still alone as drew a blank on getting any other chicks), it is slightly more handleable than the mad quail chicks were but definitely doesn't seem to have imprinted on us. It cheeps if its food needs topping up but otherwise seems utterly uninterested in us, well it keeps an eye on everything that goes on but is equally interested if it is dog/cat/human. So far so good, fingers crossed! It is now in a big cage on a windowsill (we have very deep sills as it is a crofthouse) overlooking the rest of the flock freeranging so am hoping it gets the idea!

[Tracey Morris]

Well Tiny is thriving and having lots of hugs

We have three others due to start hatching tomorrow - you can hear one of them tapping already so may be out by Friday or saturday in which case Tiny will have only been alone a week

The three due to hatch are also Muscovies too

[Welsh Duck]

I hope they hatch well for you.

Duck eggs are really hard to hatch in a incubator. I put 100 call duck eggs in yesterday because the nests were so wet from the dreadful rain. But I don't hold out much hope as I'm hopeless with the incubator. I try and get my ducks to incubate wherever possible. I've even bought extra hens to use as broodies

[Tracey Morris]

Well must admit after Tiny hatching last week I feel that I now know what to do. I have been mist spraying them once or twice a day and stop turning 3 days before.

Two that a due to hatch today are now pecking at the shell. Fingers crossed they carry on and are able to get out. They sound strong enough.

My daughter has given Tiny a mirror until one of the others is ready to go into the brooder with him. He Loves It