prestoconfuoco
Songster
Hi all,
Earlier today I posted on the gendering board because we were wondering about our easter egger (definitely male, it seems). We have two five-week olds - said easter egger, and a buff orpington, both most definitely roosters. Then we have three eight week olds - a light brahma bantam (almost certainly male), a silkie bantam (too young to tell, but potentially male based on behavior; I can post pics if anyone wants to take a stab at it), and finally, a buff brahma bantam (almost definitely a pullet with zero rooster signs).
The buff brahma bantam is one of the sweetest birds we've had, who is happy to be held and sit in your lap, etc. and is so much more well socialized than many members of our year-old flock were when they were chicks! My family loves her to pieces (we love all five of them) and we are very sad that we might have to give her away.
The good news is that we have a good home that will take all five, so that isn't a concern.
Currently, we have an approx. year old flock of 13 pullets. Because we can't have roosters, and since we're giving (at minimum) 4/5 away, we also have 4 one-day olds ordered from Meyer Hatchery to come in mid-August.
I know chickens are incredibly social creatures and I would never want to deprive one of that in any way that would harm them or be unkind. As far as I can tell there is no real way to integrate a 7/8 week old buff brahma bantam into a full flock of 13, and definitely not alone...and yet, if we kept and didn't integrate her, she would be on her own and very sad.
Are there any solutions here that anyone can think of to hang onto her? In the end, if we have to give her away, I'll be very sad, but I'll know she's going with her group to the new home, so that will be OK. She is just so sweet and I'd love to bring her into our flock if that's a possibility.
Thanks!
Earlier today I posted on the gendering board because we were wondering about our easter egger (definitely male, it seems). We have two five-week olds - said easter egger, and a buff orpington, both most definitely roosters. Then we have three eight week olds - a light brahma bantam (almost certainly male), a silkie bantam (too young to tell, but potentially male based on behavior; I can post pics if anyone wants to take a stab at it), and finally, a buff brahma bantam (almost definitely a pullet with zero rooster signs).
The buff brahma bantam is one of the sweetest birds we've had, who is happy to be held and sit in your lap, etc. and is so much more well socialized than many members of our year-old flock were when they were chicks! My family loves her to pieces (we love all five of them) and we are very sad that we might have to give her away.
The good news is that we have a good home that will take all five, so that isn't a concern.
Currently, we have an approx. year old flock of 13 pullets. Because we can't have roosters, and since we're giving (at minimum) 4/5 away, we also have 4 one-day olds ordered from Meyer Hatchery to come in mid-August.
I know chickens are incredibly social creatures and I would never want to deprive one of that in any way that would harm them or be unkind. As far as I can tell there is no real way to integrate a 7/8 week old buff brahma bantam into a full flock of 13, and definitely not alone...and yet, if we kept and didn't integrate her, she would be on her own and very sad.
Are there any solutions here that anyone can think of to hang onto her? In the end, if we have to give her away, I'll be very sad, but I'll know she's going with her group to the new home, so that will be OK. She is just so sweet and I'd love to bring her into our flock if that's a possibility.
Thanks!