Introducing a New Chicken

[vonniefisher]

I am new to keeping chickens. I started out with 4 birds but 2 ended up being roosters - I found new homes for them but that left me with just 2. Those 2 are now about 14 weeks old, and I just got a lavender orpington to add to the mix. I am back up to 3 - YAY !! But my lavender is only about 5-6 weeks old - quite a bit smaller than the other 2. My other 2 are a RIR and an easter egger. I have put the small one in the yard with the other 2 while they are free ranging - I don't leave them alone b/c I don't want the older 2 picking on her - which they have done. When the baby gets older and I put her in the coop will the other 2 beat her up or will they accept her? I am hoping that by letting her out with them in the yard they will get used to her and by the time she goes into the coop they will be ok - yes??

 

[Mrs. K]

Maybe they will be all right, maybe not. IMO the worst integration is a single bird, unless that bird is an adult rooster.

Your chick has all the strikes against her. She is the stranger, she is smaller, she is younger, and she is alone.

It would be better to as quick as possible go get her a friend, and then when they are bigger add the pair of them to the established girls.

Mrs K