7 week old alone

[LindaMarieLaur]

My hen hatched one egg. The weather was severe and I brough mama, eggs, chick in. She ignored eggs and took care of chick. I tried to introduce chick to the hen and rooster by keeping mom and baby in a separate area, but the weather is still cold here and unless in the coop I worried. Mom is back with the flock and the chick is alone. The rooster jumped her at seven weeks and I was worried he would kill her though maybe he was trying to hump her, but even then I figure too young. She is back inside. The weather here will be warming in a few weeks. How old should she be to be introduced to the rest of the small family.... Not sure when it is safe for her to try to mate her if that is what it was.

 

[Conman]

Talk calm to the bords and try to keep them as a group corect any bad behavior that you dont want.thats just an imput i dont have much experience so be aware that this is some random person that you dont know govong you information.

 

[Hufflefluff]

Is there any possibility of you getting a few more pullets around her age? Even one would really help, or two or three if they're a little younger/ smaller than her. Sadly, integrating just one chick is very difficult, especially as Mama has already abandoned her. Any friends her own age, or closer to it, would ease the stress of integration (but only of you had very thoroughly integrated her and the new ones beforehand!). If you can't get any more chicks, then I think you just have to be very patient. Get a dog crate or something in the coop that will allow her and your flock to see but not touch. If you have a big run, hang out with her inside of it, and let her interact with the rest of your flock where she still has room to run away. Eventually leave the door of the crate open just enough for her to get in, but not the full grown hens/ rooster. Be prepared for the fact that she may never really become part of the flock- ideally, they won't pick on her to the point of energy, but she may always end up being a little lonely.
I'd recommend waiting to start integrating for another week or two, just so she can feather out and bulk up a little more. How much are you home during the day to spend time with her?

The other option would be to see about rehoming her- there might be someone on craigslist looking for a single pet/ house chicken, or a companion for a lone pullet of their own. It sucks to hear it, but she really would be happier with a friend her own age.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I'm interested to hear what others suggest.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens how old is her chick go to a feed store they
will getting peeps in may have to buy 3 depending on policy put them in a seperate are until they are feathered fully then a week when they can see the others not touch them before thay are actually with the adults may need to move the cockerel for that

 

[LindaMarieLaur]

Is there any possibility of you getting a few more pullets around her age? Even one would really help, or two or three if they're a little younger/ smaller than her. Sadly, integrating just one chick is very difficult, especially as Mama has already abandoned her. Any friends her own age, or closer to it, would ease the stress of integration (but only of you had very thoroughly integrated her and the new ones beforehand!). If you can't get any more chicks, then I think you just have to be very patient. Get a dog crate or something in the coop that will allow her and your flock to see but not touch. If you have a big run, hang out with her inside of it, and let her interact with the rest of your flock where she still has room to run away. Eventually leave the door of the crate open just enough for her to get in, but not the full grown hens/ rooster. Be prepared for the fact that she may never really become part of the flock- ideally, they won't pick on her to the point of energy, but she may always end up being a little lonely.
I'd recommend waiting to start integrating for another week or two, just so she can feather out and bulk up a little more. How much are you home during the day to spend time with her?

The other option would be to see about rehoming her- there might be someone on craigslist looking for a single pet/ house chicken, or a companion for a lone pullet of their own. It sucks to hear it, but she really would be happier with a friend her own age.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I'm interested to hear what others suggest.

I am retired so home a lot. I have an old wood playpen already in the chicken yard. She is small enough to go in and out through the sides. She and mom have been separated 5 days. I had them both in the playpen area, but it is getting cold at nights still and I was worried because I only had a dog crate for them to get into at night and actually the mom prefers being on top of it, but the chick did go inside. The first night out I moved them to the coop at night and that worked fine. I locked the two inside and the others out (they prefer to roost in the yard rather than going into the coop; hens use it only for laying eggs). The second night, the mother didn't want to go into the coop and the rooster jumped the chick so I brought the chick inside. I would have left the chick in the playpen area except I was worried about the temps at night. The mom I thought looked for the chick for a couple of days because she'd go back in the playpen area (door currently open).

 

[LindaMarieLaur]

Forecast this week. Worried about night temps or would leave her in the yard playpen area at night.

 

[Hufflefluff]

Forecast this week. Worried about night temps or would leave her in the yard playpen area at night.View attachment 1277461

Are you able to get electricity out there at all? If so, a Mama Heating Pad setup would work well. If not, you could also look into a wool hen or a huddle box. You should look them up for more info, but the general idea for each is an insulated box, generally with wool, that traps chicks body heat to keep them warm.
If neither of these are viable options for you, you might be right about it being a tad too chilly at night. As long as she has somewhere away from the elements where she can huddle, though, she should be okay.

 

[LindaMarieLaur]

Another option buy a cheap coop with run that will fit inside my chicken yard for her. I don't know that it would be warm enough either. Tractor supply has one. It is supposed to house 8. $199. I wasn't going to go this route because my son will make me one as part of the back of the chicken hard that will accommodate both established and young chicks, with the adult chickens having access to the whole yard and the chicks having a protected run underneath the coop.

 

[LindaMarieLaur]

Are you able to get electricity out there at all? If so, a Mama Heating Pad setup would work well. If not, you could also look into a wool hen or a huddle box. You should look them up for more info, but the general idea for each is an insulated box, generally with wool, that traps chicks body heat to keep them warm.
If neither of these are viable options for you, you might be right about it being a tad too chilly at night. As long as she has somewhere away from the elements where she can huddle, though, she should be okay.

Oh I will look into this. I do have electric to the yard because I keep a bulb at both ends to help deter preditors from being curious. Thank you.