Introducing A chick to my flock

[Chickparadise]

I have a hand raised chick originally thought to be female but now realising 'she' is a most probably a 'he'. I saved Oliver after he had hatched as his mother disowned him and left him to go cold. I had to first do CPR to get him breathing and then warm him up and ever since he's been living with me in my room and comes to work with me. He's around 4 weeks old now and has strongly imprinted on me. As I am off to university It is important for me to integrate him into the flock of 17 before I go. There are a few territorial hens but the rooster is a true gentleman and isn't fussed.

I Introduced Oliver to the flock today and he was scared for his life, pacing the coop, squawking and working himself up. A few hens put him in the pecking order but not all were fussed. This evening while they were all snuggled up in their coop settling down for the night i placed him with them and checked him 30 minutes later to find him stood by himself away from the chickens so I've had to take him out and bring him back to my room as its too cold if he's got no one to warm up to.

Any ideas on how I can introduce him without him going crazy and panicking? He seems to work himself up. He's very young I know and even if I can get him comfortable for him to spend the day with them and then bring him in at night. We have other babies in the flock so he's not the only young one.

Uni is just around the corner!


Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Den in Penn]

Since you have other chicks, ideally you would put in him with them for the day for a couple weeks to get them used to him. Then add him to the coop at night. With you going away time could be a problem. Another thing would be to put him in a cage at night and the person who is going to take care of him would leave in out in the morning and back in the evening for those couple of weeks.

 

[FridayYet]

I agree - can you take some of your other young ones and keep them together for a few days in a box or dog crate and get them bonded together? Then re-introducing them all together will help, since the little ones will have formed a "pack" and should huddle together to sleep, eat, forage, etc.

 

[aart]

There is already an adult rooster in the flock?
Who will manage the very possible problems when this little cockerel comes of age?

 

[Den in Penn]

Good point about managing the cockerel(s). Since there are other young ones there could be more cockerels.

 

[Chickparadise]

Yes we have a rooster already in the flock. We had 5 up until 2 days ago which we managed to rehome as they were soon to out number the hens. Non of which he fought with, infact he was very closely bonded with one of the other cockerels. The four younger chicks are all showing signs to be female thankfully. We have 17 hens and a large shed and coop and they are then let out into our garden on a daily basis for up to 8 hours. So an extra rooster won't be trouble. If how ever there is a problem between the two once Oliver is grown I have a family member with 7 hens which Oliver can go and live with

 

[Chickparadise]

Yes we have a rooster already in the flock. We had 5 up until 2 days ago which we managed to rehome as they were soon to out number the hens. Non of which he fought with, infact he was very closely bonded with one of the other cockerels. The four younger chicks are all showing signs to be female thankfully. We have 17 hens and a large shed and coop and they are then let out into our garden on a daily basis for up to 8 hours. So an extra rooster won't be trouble. If how ever there is a problem between the two once Oliver is grown I have a family member with 7 hens which Oliver can go and live with

 

[Chickparadise]

Unfortunately the other chicks are with hens so they are already integrated into the flock.

 

[Den in Penn]

Best to try make him part of the flock before he matures. While he is still a juvenile the rooster and he will get used to each other and any pecking will be over who is on top in the pecking order. After he matures there will also be the sexual reasons for them to fight. If he is already part of the flock, he should already know his place and any discord will be less. Cage him out there with the flock for a few days to let them and him, get to think of him as belonging there. A single chicken introduction is the hardest one to do, as a single bird will get all the attention. If you can, put him and the chicks together for a few more days for them to bond. That way he will few allies when he is released into the flock.