can a chick be raised alone?

[parvani]

Can they be raised alone? Yes.

Should they be raised alone? Idealy no.

Chickens are much happier when they have companions of the same species.

If you can’t get it any friends I would rehome.

In most cases this is true... But chickens, like all flocking birds (think budgies aka parakeets), can and do bond with people and accept us as their "flock".

We have a few dozen chickens of different breeds, but my first Barnevelder hatch didn't go well last year, and only one chick survived the first month. So I put her in with a few older chicks of a different breed, bought some more Barnevelder shipped eggs, and three chicks survived the second hatch.

However, when I introduced them to the older Barnevelder chick/pullet ,"Lacey", she wanted nothing to do with them. I kept her in the mixed flock with the chicks she'd been raised among, but she wasn't happy there either. She wasn't eating enough, and she kept coming over to me and trying to hang out with me.

Finally we became concerned because she was actually losing weight and getting weak. So I put her in a big cardboard box in the living room, with her own food and water and an open top covered with light mesh cloth. And I'd talk to her whenever I walked by the box, and take her out for a little interaction every other day or so.

To anyone who doesn't know Lacey, keeping a chicken in a cardboard box seems inhumane -- but after she gained weight, I put her back with the flock, and she lost so much weight so fast that she could barely stand up. She LIKES being in the people coop, even if it means being in a cardboard box most of the time. She's happy to be with her "flock", she eats and is very healthy now, and she makes contented noises in her box, not crying or keening the way chickens who are unhappy do.

Lacey has developed a new routine this week. She is so healthy and strong that she can now knock the wire-framed mesh cover off her box. In the evenings, just before dusk, Lacey starts fussing, knocks the cover off her box, and jumps up to the edge. Then she waits for one of us to notice her, pick her up, and give her some attention.

Yesterday my husband lifted her up to stand on top of the young Isbars' cage. It has a cardboard cover on top, so she could walk around up there and not be pooping onto the Isbars. (I tried putting her in with the Isbars once, but she immediately attacked them.)

Well, tonight while I was making dinner, Lacey pushed off her cover and flew up to the top of the Isbars' cage by herself. Hubby found her there and asked if I'd put her there; I said no, I thought YOU did!

She didn't take liberties and flap all over the house. She just hung out there, watching us watching her, preening and occasionally peering over the side at the Isbars below.

Her entire demeanor is far more thoughtful and... Well, CIVILIZED than I would have expected a chicken could be. Hubs and I were both surprised that Lacey seemed perfectly content to be able to see us, and to be where we could pet her easily.

And when, after a half hour or more, she looked like she was wondering how to get down again, I gave her my arm to roost and lifted her back down and put her back in her cardboard box for bedtime. To make it dark at night, I put a thick towel over her box. This also seems to prevent nighttime escapes.

Now, does anyone else want to insist that chickens must have another chicken? Because while I might agree with you, Lacey would strenuously object!

 

[EmmaRainboe]

In most cases this is true... But chickens, like all flocking birds (think budgies aka parakeets), can and do bond with people and accept us as their "flock".

We have a few dozen chickens of different breeds, but my first Barnevelder hatch didn't go well last year, and only one chick survived the first month. So I put her in with a few chicks of a different breed, bought some more Barnevelder shipped eggs, and three chicks survived the second hatch.

However, when I introduced them to the older Barnevelder chick/pullet ,"Lacey", she wanted nothing to do with them. I kept her in the mixed flock with the chicks she'd been raised among, but she wasn't happy there either. She wasn't eating enough, and she kept coming over to me and trying to hang out with me.

Finally we became concerned because she was actually losing weight and getting weak. So I put her in a big cardboard box in the living room, with her own food and water and an open top covered with light mesh cloth. And I'd talk to her whenever I walked by the box, and take her out for a little interaction every other day or so.

She was happy to be with her "flock", she ate and gained weight, and she makes contented noises. To anyone who doesn't know her, keeping a chicken in a cardboard box seems inhumane -- but after she gained weight, I put her back with the flock, and she lost so much weight so fast that she could barely stand up. She LIKES being in the people coop, even if it means being in a cardboard box most of the time.

Lacey has developed a new routine this week. She is so healthy and strong that she can now knock the wire-framed mesh cover off her box. In the evenings, just before dusk, Lacey starts fussing, knocks the cover off her box, and jumps up to the edge. Then she waits for one of us to notice her, pick her up, and give her some attention.

Yesterday my husband lifted her up to stand on top of the young Isbars' cage. It has a cardboard cover on top, so she could walk around up there and not be pooping onto the Isbars. (I tried putting her in with the Isbars once, but she immediately attacked them.)

Well, tonight while I was making dinner, Lacey pushed off her cover and flew up to the top of the Isbars' cage. Hubby found her there and asked if I'd put her there; I said no, I thought YOU did!

She didn't take liberties and flap all over the house. She just hung out there, watching us watching her, preening and occasionally peering over the side at the Isbars below.

Her entire demeanor is far more thoughtful and... Well, CIVILIZED than I would have expected a chicken could be. Hubs and I were both surprised that Lacey seemed perfectly content to be able to see us, and to be where we could pet her easily.

And when, after a half hour or more, she looked like she was wondering how to get down again, I gave her my arm to roost and lifted her back down and put her back in her cardboard box for bedtime. To make it dark at night, I put a thick towel over her box. This also seems to prevent nighttime escapes.

Now, does anyone else want to insist that chickens must have another chicken? Because while I might agree with you, Lacey would strenuously object!

Just letting you know, I didn’t read your whole post. I read the first few paragraphs but have a hard time focusing on long posts. The words just jumble together.

I said “ideally” because yes, they can be raised alone. I raised one alone her name was Poshy. She was my baby. She was so bonded to me and no matter how much I tried and tried To integrate her with other chickens when I was finally able to put her with some she just wanted to be with me. I was her flock. There are exceptions to everything. And Poshy was most certainly an exception.

 

[parvani]

Just letting you know, I didn’t read your whole post. I read the first few paragraphs but have a hard time focusing on long posts. The words just jumble together.

I said “ideally” because yes, they can be raised alone. I raised one alone her name was Poshy. She was my baby. She was so bonded to me and no matter how much I tried and tried To integrate her with other chickens when I was finally able to put her with some she just wanted to be with me. I was her flock. There are exceptions to everything. And Poshy was most certainly an exception.

Years ago we had a blue parakeet. We called her Bird-Bird. We hand fed her and trained her to go in and out of her cage, and we let her fly around the house sometimes and roost in our schefflera tree (which she destroyed by nibbling through all the leaf stems until there were none left).

She was a darling little bird who would roost on the edge of a glass or plate (which we allowed as long as her butt was off the edge, not hanging over our food or drink). Budgies are omnivores, and her favorite food was... you guessed it, CHICKEN!

She also enjoyed port wine very much. She'd dip her beak into my glass, then shiver and shake the drops off her beak because, well, alcohol up her nose! Then she'd dip her beak again, until she'd had QUITE enough, and needed help back to her cage!

Yes, I'm a terrible mother, letting my darling BirdBird become a raging alcoholic...

I was so heartbroken when she finally died that I've never been able to get another parakeet, because it wouldn't be the same. She was such a wonderful, charming bird that any other would seem deficient in one way or another.

And now here's Lacey, who didn't ask if I wanted a pet bird or not. She just wasn't going to live with the other birds. For her it was just that simple -- live with the people, or not at all.

 

[bill3607]

Years ago we had a blue parakeet. We called her Bird-Bird. We hand fed her and trained her to go in and out of her cage, and we let her fly around the house sometimes and roost in our schefflera tree (which she destroyed by nibbling through all the leaf stems until there were none left).

She was a darling little bird who would roost on the edge of a glass or plate (which we allowed as long as her butt was off the edge, not hanging over our food or drink). Budgies are omnivores, and her favorite food was... you guessed it, CHICKEN!

She also enjoyed port wine very much. She'd dip her beak into my glass, then shiver and shake the drops off her beak because, well, alcohol up her nose! Then she'd dip her beak again, until she'd had QUITE enough, and needed help back to her cage!

Yes, I'm a terrible mother, letting my darling BirdBird become a raging alcoholic...

I was so heartbroken when she finally died that I've never been able to get another parakeet, because it wouldn't be the same. She was such a wonderful, charming bird that any other would seem deficient in one way or another.

And now here's Lacey, who didn't ask if I wanted a pet bird or not. She just wasn't going to live with the other birds. For her it was just that simple -- live with the people, or not at all.

She wasn't an alcoholic. You see alcoholics go to meetings.......she was just a sot

 

[Vickischics]

I know it won't die and it will get a friend, I will go to a traders village this weekend and buy another chick.

That sounds like a Great idea!
Buy as many as your coop will occupy. What breed is your chick? Do you know its sex yet?
Please keep us updated and stay positive. We will wait for your reply.

 

[Tashua]

Wow never saw so much back & forth , must be a passionate topic to some .
Personally I wouldn’t raise one alone on purpose ,but if others didn’t survive & only one left I’m sure you can raise it alone with LOTS of love & attention .
I had a single chick and she was miserable alone , so I got her 2 friends & all went well , she calmed down and acted normal .

 

[gcnsgcmd]

A friend of mine had only one hen after her others died. She was around the dogs and bossed them around lol. She also was allowed inside the house at times. She lived happily alone but she had companionship from the family and dogs.

 

[chickencoop57]

I dont see why not. Couldnt be no different from having a parrot or some other bird in a cage, by it self. I do agree with THEChicKeNwhisper about putting a mirror in with it but I've never been one to put toys in with a chick or chickens, however in this case maybe a lil Rubber Ducky. And while I'm throwing my two cents in, I've never seen a bored chicken in my almost 2 years raising them. They go in and out of coop in morn and evening, peck around, lay in the shade and relax, give themselves dust baths... so I just don't get it when someone says they get bored, but that's just me.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

You did come to the best place for answers to your problem. There are many passionate folks here who just want what's best for our feathered family. Since you have already been given good advice on getting another friend or two, or three, or four. LOL
I do have one question though, where were you able to only buy one chick? Here in Ohio, you have to purchase a min 6 chicks or 4 ducklings. Sometimes you can get away with less but the rule was put in place to stop people from buying one lone chick or duckling at Easter time because folks think it's cute to put one in an Easter basket for their kids, like you see in the commercials. I wish you the best of luck with your new chick. I have had many lone ducklings hatch that were raised with chicks when that was all I could get just so they wouldn't be alone. My advice on coop, build one one the ground so you can add to it down the road. Trust me the addiction will take hold.

 

[the old rooster]

So your saying they should just give up on the chick?

Maby They should of done more research Before getting one Chic. when someone asks a Question sometimes the answer is NO . This doesn't make the person answering mean or offensive . The Question is should I raise a Chicken alone ,the answer is No. I have 32 Hens and 2 Roosters and Life is just Grand.