Can I Keep My Bantam Ameraucana?

[SireniaSolaris]

So back in mid June, I hatched 12 eggs and ended up with only 3 hens in the whole bunch. One just started laying yesterday and they are all three large birds.

I recently found a feed store around 45 minutes from me that sells sexed baby chicks. 95% should be female. I like those odds much better. So I went and ended up getting 5, but then was shown this adorable little pullet. She was so pretty and holding her, I fell in love. She is apparently the same age as my three hens, only she is a bantam. .. maybe 1/3rd their size, if that.

She is in quarantine right now, and I let her keep the chicks company sometimes throughout the day (they treat her like mom, thinking she found food for them every time she pecks at something), so hopefully when I introduce the group of them to my hens in about a month or whenever they reach her same size, maybe she can just be one of the group?

I really want to keep her. She is so pretty and nice, but I don't want her to get bullied by all the other hens. Advice? Might my group introduction work?

 

[barkinghills]

I think it is extremely hard to introduce a single or even two chickens to an existing flock, and since she is a bantam she may be more subject to chasing/pecking if you introduce her alone. I have raised many small groups of chicks (3-6) and then introduced them to the flock by keeping them in separate areas separated by wire, and feeding them all scratch along the fence every day for at least a week so they get used to each other. I do keep a mixed flock with about 30+ LF and around 10 bantams, and they get along fine. I think if you keep her in the group with the chicks they will all integrate fine.


Good luck, let us know how things go.

 

[SireniaSolaris]

Yes the single chicken problem is why I'm thinking of keeping her with the chicks even after the quarantine period is over until the chicks are her same size. That way I can introduce a group of 6 same size birds to my three larger hens and even though the rest will continue growing, hopefully they will all be accustomed to my bantam at that point to avoid her getting picked on. Do you think that would work?

 

[aart]

Yes the single chicken problem is why I'm thinking of keeping her with the chicks even after the quarantine period is over until the chicks are her same size. That way I can introduce a group of 6 same size birds to my three larger hens and even though the rest will continue growing, hopefully they will all be accustomed to my bantam at that point to avoid her getting picked on. Do you think that would work?

Yes, I think that's good idea. If the bantam and chicks are getting along, they should form a 'unit' and be better off when integrating to your existing flock.