Introducing a single new chick to flock

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Wfpendragon

Wfpendragon

Chirping
Mar 13, 2016
143
19
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Wisconsin
Hey all, About three weeks ago I bought a 5 week old Ameraucana to add to our current flock of 12 pullets who were at the time 12 weeks. I know that it's best to introduce more than one chick at a time, but we are limited in space and I wanted a colored egg layer. We've been slowly trying to integrate her (or him) by letting the new chick roam in an enclosed area where the other girls can see it. Most of the time, it seems to go fine and they ignore her, but a few of the ladies are rather vicious and sometimes attack the fence, and a few times she has flown out and they pursue her like rabid beasts. Just today we tried showing her to each girl one by one, and a few of the problem hens went berserk and attacked her pretty harshly. Is there anything I can do to make the integration go smoother, or did I mess up by getting only one extra chick?
 
Wfpendragon said:
Hey all, About three weeks ago I bought a 5 week old Ameraucana to add to our current flock of 12 pullets who were at the time 12 weeks. I know that it's best to introduce more than one chick at a time, but we are limited in space and I wanted a colored egg layer. We've been slowly trying to integrate her (or him) by letting the new chick roam in an enclosed area where the other girls can see it. Most of the time, it seems to go fine and they ignore her, but a few of the ladies are rather vicious and sometimes attack the fence, and a few times she has flown out and they pursue her like rabid beasts. Just today we tried showing her to each girl one by one, and a few of the problem hens went berserk and attacked her pretty harshly. Is there anything I can do to make the integration go smoother, or did I mess up by getting only one extra chick?
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Integrating several at a time is definitely easier and the one being integrated has a friend. But she might be a little young yet. You might leave her where they can see each other for a bit If you have one who is gentle you could try putting that one with her.
 
Thank you! :) our california white is super sweet and she wasn't mean at all when we showed her the new chick, maybe I can let those two play together.
 
 

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