Adding one 6 week old pullet to existing flock of 3 three year old hens

[zinnia5117]

Hi, I live in the suburbs and we are only allowed 5 chickens. Two died last year, and 6 weeks ago i got two new chicks to replace. This morning I went to the brooder and the small one was dead! So now I have only one 6 week old Novagen pullet to add to the flock of three old ladies (in pecking order, a Dark Brahma, an Easter Egger, and an Ameraucana). On the advice of Fran the chick lady (the local expert in all things c, I am trying a last ditch effort so this chick/pullet doesn’t die too. I put the mature hens in the brooder, one at a time, after rubbing the pullet on the hen. #1 and #3 pecked at the pullet, so #3 was removed and #1 got a chicken time out. But #2 actually did fine and there was no pecking. We just put them (#2 and pullet) together again for 15 minutes, and now will remove #2 again to sleep in the coop. I am planning tomorrow to put each one together individually in the brooder (with chicken time outs as needed), then try having her go out in the backyard with supervision the whole time, for about an hour tomorrow. Then maybe put #2 in with the pullet all night tomorrow? I don’t know! I feel like they need to be together soon so the pullet doesn’t die of loneliness, but
I also don’t want her to get pecked to death. I realize this might be inevitable. I also realize it would have been ideal to have more chicks, Fran already told me that! Just trying to follow the chicken rules here...

Any other advice would be great if you have successfully integrated just one pullet at such a young age. Luckily the weather should be warm this week.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds like the plan is to integrate the chick with hen #2, and then integrate them both with the other two??

Were the chicks in view of the flock before the one died? If not, your timing is off, you should plan to have the chick in view of the adults for 1-2 weeks first (a large cage with small wire openings in the run or coop will work) to get them used to each others presence. If #2 still seems friendly to the chick at that point (and the others aren't) I'd let the 2 of them interact in a separate area, and then if they're ok with each other you can try to add them back to the flock as a pair.

Or if by that point the other adults seem to be more accepting of the chick (i.e. not interested in the caged chick) then you can try letting them all interact. Some pecking is normal, as long as the chick isn't physically being injured or stopped from eating/drinking or unable to escape from harassment at all, it's fine.

 

[bhawk-23]

Hi, I live in the suburbs and we are only allowed 5 chickens. Two died last year, and 6 weeks ago i got two new chicks to replace. This morning I went to the brooder and the small one was dead! So now I have only one 6 week old Novagen pullet to add to the flock of three old ladies (in pecking order, a Dark Brahma, an Easter Egger, and an Ameraucana). On the advice of Fran the chick lady (the local expert in all things c, I am trying a last ditch effort so this chick/pullet doesn’t die too. I put the mature hens in the brooder, one at a time, after rubbing the pullet on the hen. #1 and #3 pecked at the pullet, so #3 was removed and #1 got a chicken time out. But #2 actually did fine and there was no pecking. We just put them (#2 and pullet) together again for 15 minutes, and now will remove #2 again to sleep in the coop. I am planning tomorrow to put each one together individually in the brooder (with chicken time outs as needed), then try having her go out in the backyard with supervision the whole time, for about an hour tomorrow. Then maybe put #2 in with the pullet all night tomorrow? I don’t know! I feel like they need to be together soon so the pullet doesn’t die of loneliness, but
I also don’t want her to get pecked to death. I realize this might be inevitable. I also realize it would have been ideal to have more chicks, Fran already told me that! Just trying to follow the chicken rules here...

Any other advice would be great if you have successfully integrated just one pullet at such a young age. Luckily the weather should be warm this week.

How did your plan work out?