Concerned about Tiny's Integration

speckledhen

Intentional Solitude
Premium Feather Member
18 Years
Feb 3, 2007
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Blue Ridge Mtns. of North Georgia
Tiny is a black Ameraucana pullet who has a bit of a sight problem. She isn't blind, but she has depth perception issues and is easily lost from her group of youngsters. After she hatched, she was extremely tiny, hence her name which she answers to, and we had to teach her how to find the crumble and teach her how to drink and after a few days, she began to catch on and now is thriving. She can't find single pieces of scratch on the ground, but will eat out of someone's hand--a pile of something makes it easier for her to locate the food. She just pecks and pecks and eventually gets hold of something.
My problem is that she and her group, which consists of five other Rocks and Ameraucana cross pullets and one Ameraucana cockerel, are over 12 weeks old and it won't be long until we will be integrating them into the main flock with 18 hens and Dutch. She has me concerned. In all the chasing that goes on, she may become stressed and separated from her group. The others will survive as the newbies always do. I really, really wish I had a small flock of bantams to put her with. She is such a teensy girl! She is non-bearded, and except for her tail set, she reminds me of an OEGB (if I squint, LOL). Do you think she'll be okay? We plan to put them in the main flock in about two weeks, after a few sessions of free ranging among the adults.
Here is Tiny. In the second pic, you can see how much smaller she is than the rest of her group:
DCP_5003.jpg

DCP_5022.jpg
 
Thats a really hard call. If she didn't have the eye problem I would say go for it. Some of the tiny ones are the fistiest. She looks a bit like Gypsy.
sorry I am not much help. gloria Jean
 
I have one bantam in the flock, my Cochin, Shadow, but she can see just fine. I have nowhere else to put Tiny except in the main flock, though. When this group vacates the Firetower, we're selling that little coop. I just have such misgivings about her in with the adults, but I see no other option.
 
I think she will find her place...if not and she is being bullied or picked on, I can always take her home with me. I would fix one of the small coops up for her and my Faverolle who is very sweet, shy and docile...thus she gets picked on alot too. I do not want to see Tiny hurt or scared. So give it a try and see if she can find her place safely in the flock...if not, I will happily bring her here to live with Faith. I think she is absolutely precious.
 
She is a doll, that's for sure. Tom has another feathered "other" woman in his life.

He went out to check for yard sales and came back with a Pomeranian that he found on the road. No collar, obviously not street-wise, but she was crate and leash trained, not flea infested and someone had brushed her recently. We found her a home and those folks and us will look for "Lost Dog" posters. Animal control is a nightmare here.
 
I can only say I had a very tiny silkie pullet. She was so much smaller than the others in her hatch that I kept putting her in with younger chicks more her size. When she was 4 1/2 month old and still looked like a 1 month old I put her in with a disabled chicken that belongs to my granddaughter. I wanted her to have a good home and be appreciated for herself as I know she will never grow to size. Luckily Featherbaby took her. Now she is a spoiled chicken. She is out in the coop with 2 younger silkies but comes into the house in the evening to sit on Sandi's lap and watch TV, at bedtime she goes into a crate in the house. I feel so much better knowing this tiny chicken is so well loved, she is still leading a chickens life during the daytime but is a pampered pet in the evenings. Sandi sends me updates and keeps me informed of her progress. Maybe you could find her a good home where she wont be picked on or left out.
 
I know he does....that man! He should only be allowed so many other women afterall he is a married man. But just food for thought if she has trouble in the main flock.

Do I have babies yet? Where are my babies ms Nugget?
 

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