Chicks and Roosters

[Chickanegans]

Last night we rescued a one-month old jersey giant chick who is all alone.

I am wondering if we should put it with our 3 six-month old roosters, with our 7 two-year old guineafowl, or if it would be best for it to stay alone until it is a little bigger (the poor little thing).

We think it is a female because of its docile nature and smaller comb than the others it was with before, but again, it is only one month old so too early to say for sure.

Any advice would be great!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Do not put it with the cockerels-I repeat- do not put it with those 6 month old cockerels. They will most likely kill it especially if it is female. They are all a bunch of horny boys and will mate it to death. It might be best by itself for now although I know nothing of guineas.

 

[FrostRanger]

Do not put the chick with the guineas either, guineas can be outright bullies to chickens of any age hence why it's ill advised to house them together at all. I would try and get 2-3 other chicks around the same age as the chick will need companionship but putting the chick with cockerels would be a mistake and putting the chick with guineas would be an even bigger mistake

 

[aart]

Where/how did you 'rescue' it?
Do you have a flock of female chickens?

 

[Chickanegans]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! We have made it it's own run away from the guineas and the roosters and have other chicks and also some hens on the way.

@FrostRanger, it had been with two other chicks it's own age at another farm and a dog ate the other two so we removed the chick from the place with the dog. We figured even though we don't quite have our chick and hen flocks yet, the chick would be better off away from a chick-eating dog. Just been trying to figure out how we can do our best for it until proper companions arrive!

 

[FrostRanger]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! We have made it it's own run away from the guineas and the roosters and have other chicks and also some hens on the way.

@FrostRanger, it had been with two other chicks it's own age at another farm and a dog ate the other two so we removed the chick from the place with the dog. We figured even though we don't quite have our chick and hen flocks yet, the chick would be better off away from a chick-eating dog. Just been trying to figure out how we can do our best for it until proper companions arrive!

In the meantime, interact with the little one as much as possible and place a little mirror in the brooder. Life and predators does unfortunately happen sometimes. I had 2 hens earlier this year and lost one to a dog attack (I got extremely ill right around the time I was going to fix up the run and they escaped) so was down to one adult bird. Thankfully I had chicks who were at the age where I was about to move them outside anyway so she only had to wait for me to fix up the run. Sometimes life throws you lemons and you just have to make the best of things

 

[SamLockwood]

In my experience the roosters tend to be the best ambassadors for new arrivals to the flock, but that's with some qualifiers.

Said roosters didn't see any new arrivals until they were over six months old, and they had mature hens to mate with already so they tended to be pretty patient about mounting the newcomers until they were old enough.

Guineas tend to be a lot rougher on new arrivals, even if they're also guineas. The guinea hens seem to be the worst, while the male guineas tend to either be somewhat indifferent.

In any case if you're bringing complete strangers to the flock always use the "look, don't touch" method to integrate them.

 

[FrostRanger]

In my experience the roosters tend to be the best ambassadors for new arrivals to the flock, but that's with some qualifiers.

Said roosters didn't see any new arrivals until they were over six months old, and they had mature hens to mate with already so they tended to be pretty patient about mounting the newcomers until they were old enough.

Guineas tend to be a lot rougher on new arrivals, even if they're also guineas. The guinea hens seem to be the worst, while the male guineas tend to either be somewhat indifferent.

In any case if you're bringing complete strangers to the flock always use the "look, don't touch" method to integrate them.

The roos in question are immature cockerels rather than mature roosters. I'm not sure if there are hens but it doesn't sound like it although it is planned at the very least