Deason Flock Update

[EggspectoPatronum]

Hello!!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. But I’m back with an update since life has kind of chilled out of a moment.

Back story: I bought my first flock back in May of last year? Maybe? Around there for sure. I bought 10 altogether, but lost 4 after we moved them into their new coop. After some revisions we managed to keep the remaining 6 happy and healthy up until the beginning of this year when we lost the remaining of our 4 white chickens (we never really knew what they were). They just died out of nowhere. That left us with 2. Poppy and JJ. Until a few weeks ago when JJ was attacked in broad daylight. That left us Poppy. She’s been confined and closely monitored. Her coop is big enough to double as her run until we can figure something else out for her.
However, I know she won’t last long on her own and as much as I’ve tried I can’t find and grown-for sale chickens anywhere in my area so yesterday I went out and bought 3 new chicks. (And 3 ducks which for obvious reasons will be kept separate until we know if they’re drakes or not).
In the meantime I will be slowly introducing Poppy to the new ones (any and all advice will be greatly appreciated) Most importantly WHEN should I start introducing them to her and how should I do it?

I would like to introduce our newest additions.
Please take into consideration that my children have named them

Yellow and Black- Nemo
Left brown- Paddle
Right brown- Ghost

I’m not 100% on breed or sex they came mixed from TSC but breed wise I think Rouan, khaki Campbell or Chocolate runner? Idk I suppose we will see.


2 Rhode Island Reds both Pullets per TSC. One is named Max the other hasn’t gotten a name yet.

Yellow chick is either a CC broiler or Amberlink and came in a straight run so idk it’s sex. It doesn’t have a name yet. I think I’ll wait until I know if it’s a rooster or not before I give it a name. I’m hoping for a rooster considering all the casualties from my last flock.

Any advice on raising ducks and chickens together or raising ducks in general would be greatly appreciated.

If you’ve read this far, thanks for reading!!

Take care!

 

[NatJ]

In the meantime I will be slowly introducing Poppy to the new ones (any and all advice will be greatly appreciated) Most importantly WHEN should I start introducing them to her and how should I do it?

You might find this article helpful:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

It is one person's way to introduce young chicks to an adult flock.

Since your adult flock is only one hen, that might change things a little, but probably not enough to be a big deal.

 

[EggspectoPatronum]

You might find this article helpful:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

It is one person's way to introduce young chicks to an adult flock.

Since your adult flock is only one hen, that might change things a little, but probably not enough to be a big deal.

Thank you! I’ll definitely check it out.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

May depend on hen's personality, but she'll probably be grateful for the company. I have a few hens & even a sweet Roo with nurturing attitudes & they were fine with new chicks. I first set them up as "neighbors" to get used to eachother before letting them actually share coop space. I have a coop with a dividing wire see through wall/door but a large cage could work as well. I put the large hen in a big cage with her own food & water, allowing the chicks the freedom to explore & learn the entire coop. I added a few cinderblocks set on their sides for chicks to run into the holes, in case they needed to. They liked playing that way, with eachother, with the blocks, anyway...hilarious when a chick grabs a live mealworm & runs into the block hole with several chicks chasing, trying to steal the worm. After 2 days, I opened big Hen's cage door she slowly came out & headed right for the food & the chicks joined in eating with her, even gently pecking feed off of Hen's beak. Then they All snuggled up together for a nap! She was a Mama & happy to be one.

My other group of older chicks I purchased & set them up, introduced sweet Romeo Roo with the diving coop wall & he made sweet sounds to them through the wire. When I opened their door, he began feeding the chicks tidbit treats & bugs right away.

The sweet ones can be excellent surrogate adoptive parents. Just set up with some kind of temporary dividing at 1st & then be there to observe & supervise when divider is removed.