Chicken Integration

[UTAHEM]

I am well read on integrating chickens and I had a plan for integrating four new chickens into our flock of two. We had ordered four from a local poultry person who was willing to brood them for us until they could go out into the coop. However, my plans have a wrench thrown in them because one of the chicks died at 4 weeks old (not illness).

The person brooding the chicks told me that they will order me a replacement in a week or two (about the time that I should be able to bring home the 3 chickens). I did plan on keeping the juveniles apart from my existing two chickens for at least a month because they come from a farm with other poultry. I cannot have 7 chickens in my coop. I am worried about integrating the lone baby chicken with the three older chicks. I figure I have three options:

1) Let her buy the chick and try integrating the baby chick with the juvenile chicks before we integrate the four with the old chickens.
2) Ask if she has a different variety of the same age as my chicks that I could have instead in place of the chick that died (I asked for specific varieties).
3) Only integrate three. Tell her never mind on the fourth chick.

Thoughts?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Don't get the lone chick, it would always be alone and have no bonded friend. I would just proceed with the 3.

 

[Pork Pie]

Don't get the lone chick, it would always be alone and have no bonded friend. I would just proceed with the 3.

I agree

CT

 

[aart]

I am well read on integrating chickens and I had a plan for integrating four new chickens into our flock of two. We had ordered four from a local poultry person who was willing to brood them for us until they could go out into the coop. However, my plans have a wrench thrown in them because one of the chicks died at 4 weeks old (not illness).

The person brooding the chicks told me that they will order me a replacement in a week or two (about the time that I should be able to bring home the 3 chickens). I did plan on keeping the juveniles apart from my existing two chickens for at least a month because they come from a farm with other poultry. I cannot have 7 chickens in my coop. I am worried about integrating the lone baby chicken with the three older chicks. I figure I have three options:

1) Let her buy the chick and try integrating the baby chick with the juvenile chicks before we integrate the four with the old chickens.
2) Ask if she has a different variety of the same age as my chicks that I could have instead in place of the chick that died (I asked for specific varieties).
3) Only integrate three. Tell her never mind on the fourth chick.

Thoughts?

I'd go with option 3.
but
What does this mean "I cannot have 7 chickens in my coop."??

 

[UTAHEM]

I'd go with option 3.
but
What does this mean "I cannot have 7 chickens in my coop."??

Not enough space for 7 chickens in the coop.

 

[UTAHEM]

And. . .she ordered the chick. Crap.

 

[aart]

Tell her you only want the 3 because of your space limits.

 

[Tyna]

I have a sussex and I've had her since Xmas day. She's a big girl now and very spoiled and attached to me . Recently I got 6 chicks to add to my flock but whenot I tried to introduce her she tried pecking at the baby. I of course did not leave them together. But I need ideas on how to integrate them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have a sussex and I've had her since Xmas day. She's a big girl now and very spoiled and attached to me . Recently I got 6 chicks to add to my flock but whenot I tried to introduce her she tried pecking at the baby. I of course did not leave them together. But I need ideas on how to integrate them.

It best to pen them next to each other, so your hen can get familiar with seeing them for a few weeks without being able to peck and hurt them. You can after a few weeks allow them to mingle under supervision, returning the chicks to their own pen when things get rough or at night, until you feel she will mostly leave them alone except for occasionally pecking them.

 

[UTAHEM]

Telling her we didn't have space for the four I ordered originally wouldn't work. =)

We inherited a dog heating mat (you use them for outdoor dogs and put them in their kennel). Could that be adapted to chicks? The EE that we ordered is apparently super docile. I wonder if she will "adopt" the new chick.