Integrating lone pullet

[Taj_MaChicken]

We acquired a duck and a chick. Then got two more ducks for companionship.

The chick currently lives with the ducks, as we had them quarantined. We have 13 other chickens about 3 months old that we need to integrate this sole 6 week old with. We finally introduced the ducks to the chickens, while free ranging. Some of the bigger girls went after the chick, but she had her ducks to protect her.

The ducks have a separate house, in our fenced in yard. My biggest problem is when it rains, the ducks hang out outside, and then the chick gets wet because she won't leave the duck. She's slightly smaller than our Polish bantams (they don't seem to care about a new chick), but the HBIC isn't having a new chick in her yard, getting her food, etc.

It's way too hot to put one in time out in the coop, since the heat index here is over 100. Any advice would be appreciated. Our chickens are in a coop/run during the day and get to free range in the evenings and weekends.

 

[azygous]

Are there any future drakes in the duck posse? If not, I'd be inclined to allow the chick to continue being part of that group, at least until it achieves independence.

You can follow this plan for integrating a single chicken to a flock. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/ I would also treat the safe pen as a panic room as many of us set up for chick integration. That involves small openings that the larger chickens can't fit through so the chick has a safe refuge even after it's integrated. A chick needs a safe place until it's around three months old. After that, a young chicken has developed the self confidence and size necessary to cope with the pecking order.

 

[Taj_MaChicken]

Are there any future drakes in the duck posse? If not, I'd be inclined to allow the chick to continue being part of that group, at least until it achieves independence.

You can follow this plan for integrating a single chicken to a flock. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/ I would also treat the safe pen as a panic room as many of us set up for chick integration. That involves small openings that the larger chickens can't fit through so the chick has a safe refuge even after it's integrated. A chick needs a safe place until it's around three months old. After that, a young chicken has developed the self confidence and size necessary to cope with the pecking order.

Thanks for the article.

I figured since I had bantams I might be able to integrate her a little sooner, since the big girls are somewhat used to having much smaller chickens around. I also have a rooster. He's really good with the girls, but not so much the ducks, or at least yet. I guess I'll look into a small dog crate today and see how it works.

But her favorite duck, the one she came with, is a boy. So it's not feasible to leave her with the ducks, unfortunately. Otherwise I'd raise her with the ducks if she'd learn to get out of the rain!