[nuzuki]

My friend hatched one chick and is worried it will be lonely. Is it worthwhile me lending him a chick till it is a bit older and then having him return said chick, unless its a cockerel?

Im just wondering what the best solution is for him. Also my friend lives 45mins drive away so if I did opt for this method should the chick be transported in a shoebox, or is something more complex needed?

My friend has one adult chicken in the garden and was trying to hatch more chicks as company for the adult chicken however now he's left with the same problem but just different ends of the spectrum so to speak.

Any suggestions would be great.

[PaulineM]

Hi

Did your friend use an incubator?

I hatched one chick with a broody and once mum had left her to her own devices it was a bit lonely (I think), she hovered about in the outside of the flock and slept on her own. Once she was big enough we put her in with the rest at night.

If you put it with a different flock it will bond with that flock and then if you take it back it will start all over again, probably best to either buy a few chicks or leave it where it is. Although that is just my opinion, I could stand corrected 

[nuzuki]

Thanks for the reply Pauline. He did hatch it using an incubator. I believe he's popping round tonight to pick up one of my chicks. I have some 2 week old chicks, his is a week and 2 days old. Is it worth him introducing the chick to the adult chicken he has? Or would the chick get bullied/eaten?

[GrannieAnnie]

The older hens will probably kill it, but like Pauline said, if he 'borrows' one of yours, you could have a problem re-introducing yours to the others.

Can you not take it in with yours until its old enough to go in with his big girls?  That would be a better idea.

[nuzuki]

Thanks GrannieAnnie, this is what I was thinking. Maybe im best of just selling him one or giving him one to keep. He shall be hatching some more so maybe it would be better to take one from him on his next hatch.

[GrannieAnnie]

Oooh that's another idea.  You give him one of your chicks and he returns the favour when he hatches some more!