Araucana doesn’t fit in anywhere!!

[DoraLeShea]

Hi all, we purchased this gorgeous little lavender Araucana on the weekend- she is 6 weeks old. The breeder told me to not to put her with the week old chicks I also bought (a Wyandotte and australorp) but said she would be fine in the coop with my 6 month old chickens. Well even sectioned off in a cage in the coop this Araucana is terrified as my Isa keeps going at her. I ended up putting her with the babies last night as it’s very cold here in Australia and she is beautiful and gentle with them, but seems agitated as they keep trying to get underneath her to make her their mama. So she is too old for the babies but seems too young and fragile for the hens. Should I have gotten another Araucana so she has a friend? Or should I just give it time in the coop? Or keep her with the babies till she is a touch older and integrate them all together?
My isa is bordering on bullying rather than establishing pecking order, she has managed to get to the Araucana once through the cage and made her bleed on the head

Any help appreciated, thanks for reading my post

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Go back to the breeder and get your Araucana pullet a friend her age and then try to integrate them both into the flock. If that doesn’t work then once the one week old chicks get a bit older integrate all 4 of the birds into the flock. If the Isa Brown is still being problematic remove her from the flock for a week while you integrate the other 4 chickens and once they are integrated return the Isa Brown to the flock.

 

[DoraLeShea]

Great advice! I hadnt considered moving my Isa! Is it preferable to get another Araucana her age from the breeder or will it not matter so long as they are the same age?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Great advice! I hadnt considered moving my Isa! Is it preferable to get another Araucana her age from the breeder or will it not matter so long as they are the same age?

I think as long as you get a bird the same age from the breeder that your Araucana pullet was housed with she will be happy. But who doesn’t want more blue eggs?

 

[DoraLeShea]

The breeder did say that the 6 week old would likely attack the chicks and that’s why I wasn’t to house them together. Is that correct or does it depend on personality? The Araucana is amazingly sweet and patient with them so I kind of went with my gut on that one

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

The breeder did say that the 6 week old would likely attack the chicks and that’s why I wasn’t to house them together. Is that correct or does it depend on personality? The Araucana is amazingly sweet and patient with them so I kind of went with my gut on that one

For now it may work, but if you get her a friend her age separate them from the younger chicks.

 

[DoraLeShea]

For now it may work, but if you get her a friend her age separate them from the younger chicks.

Thanks so much you’ve been very helpful!!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Thanks so much you’ve been very helpful!!

My pleasure happy to help.

 

[aart]

Have had older chicks be fine with younger chicks...depends on the birds.
Thinks that's the better option than trying to put a single 6wo in with grown hens.

 

[DoraLeShea]

Have had older chicks be fine with younger chicks...depends on the birds.
Thinks that's the better option than trying to put a single 6wo in with grown hens.

Yes I think we are sticking with that for now, especially as it’s so cold here at night atm. I hate to think of the poor little Araucana just shivering on her own in the coop. She seems reasonably content with the babies now so I will integrate them all together when they are old enough