Can we introduce a Bantum Pullet into our Standard Flock?

[a1doll]

My son had a broody (SP?) hen so he got an egg from a 4H freind that they thought was fertilized and put it under the hen. I honestly did not think the egg would hatch but it did! Now I have a Standard Rhode Island Red Hen and a Bantam chick. The new momma and 2 week old baby are in a large dog crate in our basement. I am wondering if I can put the chick and momma back in with the flock. We have 2 young roosters (5 months old) and 7, 5month old hens along with 10 year & a half old hens. UGH! Any advice would be greatly appreaciated.

 

[janinepeters]

It is sometimes a problem to introduce a small number of bantams to a flock of large birds, but in this case, the chick has a great big mom to look after her, so integration should go fine. However, it is possible that once mom gives her the boot (as moms often do, sometime after about 4-5 wks of age), that she will have a tough time with the rest of the flock. As the smallest and most recent addition, she will surely be at the bottom of the peck order. Whether she gets bullied depends on the personalites of your particular birds, how much space they have, whether they free range or remain confined all day...

 

[a1doll]

We have 2 coops, one for the older girls and the newer, younger chickens in the other. They have a 6ft x 27ft kennel that protects the coops with a cover/roof. The chickens are let out to free range almost everyday, as long as someone is at home. We seperated the momma and baby because someone said the rooster may try killing the baby??? We have one of the older hens, Ugly Betty, (LOL) She is a bully, other than that we don't seem to have any issues in the flock.

 

[janinepeters]

Separated mother from baby???? I once temporarily separated a mother and her chicks from the rest of the flock, because mother was a submissive bantam, who did not seem able to fend off the large sized hens in the flock who tried to go after the chicks. The rooster never bothered the chicks at all, but even if he had, I cannot see separating mother and babies unless she herself becomes aggressive towards them.

Anyway, if the 2 groups are free ranging peacefully together, you should eventually have no problem housing them together, if that is what you want to do.

 

[a1doll]

How and when do I introduce them back into the flock? The chick is with momma in the basement and she is two weeks old today. Momma is stinky and I would like to move them outside ASAP.

 

[janinepeters]

Maybe try free ranging them with the other birds during the day and if that goes well, try putting mother and baby back with the flock after about a week. If there is any nastiness, you can always separate them again, and try a more gradual integration.