Baby (name pending, feel free to send suggestions) is now four weeks old.
Her background; (not all relevant here but still interesting)
Her egg was an accidental addition to a broody hen's clutch. While most of the eggs hatched, hers and a few others were removed, candled, and either tossed or put in the incubator. She hatched two weeks later, from the wrong end, but perfectly healthy.
After she was all fluffed up, we placed her with 6 mixed chicks we picked up from the feed store. These chicks were already around 3 weeks old, but they didn't seem to have any issue with her.
She grew without any issue.
When the other 6 were all feathered out, we kept them in a couple of weeks longer so she wouldn't be alone. Finally, at four weeks, Baby and the six 7-week-old chicks all went out to their new coop and run.
On their second night, I found Baby all on her own (6 were up on a roosting bar that may have been out of her reach still). I first went to move the others to be with her as the only heat they really had was each other and Baby was too small to spend the night alone. Then I picked her up to check her over and discovered dried blood. Her little tail had been pecked at and scabbed over.
Back in the brooder she went. She couldn't stay with her buddies anymore, she needs time to at least heal but given how much smaller she still is, I wonder if she'll be able to go back.
Placing her feels difficult as she is the youngest and smallest of the whole flock. I'd hoped the six chicks would have continued to accept her and she could have more of a team before joining the rest of the main flock late this fall.
I could try to put her back with the six chicks again once she's healed, but I don't know how to get things to really change between them. They'll still be twice her size and be even less familiar with her after spending time apart.
I could try raising her alone and waiting to introduce her until she's a her full big ol' buff oprington hen size. But introducing single birds? It doesn't sound like it would work very well.
I could try putting her with the Silkies when she's medium-sized, it'll be a group of 5 silkie pullets with 1-5 silkie roosters (trying to rehome 4 of em). Maybe with the Silkie's more relaxed nature she'd be less of a target and be able to establish herself with them before outgrowing them.
Or... I could try to rehome her. Maybe someone with a small flock or even just a couple chicks close to her age would be able to take her in and give her a suitable home.
Her background; (not all relevant here but still interesting)
Her egg was an accidental addition to a broody hen's clutch. While most of the eggs hatched, hers and a few others were removed, candled, and either tossed or put in the incubator. She hatched two weeks later, from the wrong end, but perfectly healthy.
After she was all fluffed up, we placed her with 6 mixed chicks we picked up from the feed store. These chicks were already around 3 weeks old, but they didn't seem to have any issue with her.
She grew without any issue.
When the other 6 were all feathered out, we kept them in a couple of weeks longer so she wouldn't be alone. Finally, at four weeks, Baby and the six 7-week-old chicks all went out to their new coop and run.
On their second night, I found Baby all on her own (6 were up on a roosting bar that may have been out of her reach still). I first went to move the others to be with her as the only heat they really had was each other and Baby was too small to spend the night alone. Then I picked her up to check her over and discovered dried blood. Her little tail had been pecked at and scabbed over.
Back in the brooder she went. She couldn't stay with her buddies anymore, she needs time to at least heal but given how much smaller she still is, I wonder if she'll be able to go back.
Placing her feels difficult as she is the youngest and smallest of the whole flock. I'd hoped the six chicks would have continued to accept her and she could have more of a team before joining the rest of the main flock late this fall.
I could try to put her back with the six chicks again once she's healed, but I don't know how to get things to really change between them. They'll still be twice her size and be even less familiar with her after spending time apart.
I could try raising her alone and waiting to introduce her until she's a her full big ol' buff oprington hen size. But introducing single birds? It doesn't sound like it would work very well.
I could try putting her with the Silkies when she's medium-sized, it'll be a group of 5 silkie pullets with 1-5 silkie roosters (trying to rehome 4 of em). Maybe with the Silkie's more relaxed nature she'd be less of a target and be able to establish herself with them before outgrowing them.
Or... I could try to rehome her. Maybe someone with a small flock or even just a couple chicks close to her age would be able to take her in and give her a suitable home.
