Broody Bantam part 2

[duck55]

After leaving our Bantam to her own devices she went back to laying and rejoined the flock in the day. A few weeks later she went broody again!! We purchased some "fertile" Bantam eggs again to give her another try. This time they were really fertile and 10 our of twelve hatched!! The only issue was one hatched after the others had left the nest and had started to forage outside with Mum. We thought the last chick looked weak and wouldn't make it, being left alone all day without heat. She did look better the next day but was still alone in the coop. We decided to bring "her" inside and she picked up after three days and is now eating and drinking on her own.

Question. If we wait a few more days, will she be able to introduced back to the others? Will they and Mum accept her? We thought about taking four out for a while, then putting five back in. Any thoughts?

And the late one..

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Chances are you can simply stick her in with the group. Hens have poor math skills, and what's one more.

But always have a plan B in case the late hatcher still can't keep up (most likely of bad scenarios) or the far chance momma doesn't want to include her (unlikely).

Placing at night usually integrates for momma seemlessly (but I've placed during day too). However, night time placement can be a bit riskier for a chick who is not well versed to stay with momma...but then again, if she can't keep up, she can't keep up. I find it is rarely the mother's refusal but the chick's inability to follow along. They seem to have some sort of internal angst that draws them to isolation where they can quickly succumb to the elements.

LofMc

 

[duck55]

Thanks for the reply!

Got home today and decided to put he/she out with the others. Bearing in mind she wouldn't move two inches away from her box in the kitchen, as soon as she was placed outside the pen she ran and squeezed through the chicken wire to join the others (needed a little help to get through). The first sibling she met showed some brief aggression, the others and Mum didn't bat an eye lid. She is obviously smaller but followed the others and Mum around wherever they went. Slight blip when they went into the coop, as she was left behind, cheeping. We put her in and she settled down under Mum for the night.
Hopefully that's it. All done. Now just how many of the ten are cocks or hens?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Glad it went well. Watch out for the little until it can totally get up and down the coop as it will get stranded until it figures it out.

Ah yes....what are the odds

LofMc