Introducing chicks, is this normal??

[bantam_babies]

To make a long story short: we lost 5 of our 6 bantams to what we suspect was a coyote. The only remaining chicken was a bantam rooster. I hopped over to Rural King and found what appeared to be a 3 week old standard size Dark Cornish chick completely alone, so of course I brought it home despite it being a gamble since it was straight run. This week I went back and bought three teensy standard size Buff Orpington pullets, and introduced them rather quickly since my heart was breaking that the Dark Cornish had been without any other chickens for weeks, as my rooster is not at all friendly.

Today I find this during their daily excursion outside the brooder. So cute!

So my question: is this normal? And also - can I be assured that this is a hen and not a rooster, based on this behavior?

TIA!

 

[bantam_babies]

Ack, this was supposed to be in the Raising Baby Chicks forum. Newb problems.

 

[paneubert]

Bantams are crazy.....I do not think this means for sure it is a girl. The brooding instinct is strong in bantams.....

 

[bantam_babies]

Bantams are crazy.....I do not think this means for sure it is a girl. The brooding instinct is strong in bantams.....

Oh I'm sorry, I should have clarified: these are all standard chickens. The coyotes got away too easily with my bantams, so we're going bigger.

 

[paneubert]

Ohh, so we are looking at the 3 week old Dark Cornish chick sitting on some Buff Orpingtons. Who knows!

 

[bantam_babies]

Ohh, so we are looking at the 3 week old Dark Cornish chick sitting on some Buff Orpingtons. Who knows!

Yep! It's probably closer to 5/6 weeks now, but honestly I have no idea since it was so big when I bought it!

 

[SueT]

I would think it's more normal for the older bird to attack new chicks. It's's really special that it has adopted them. Roosters care for chicks too, so it doesn't mean that it's a female. Very touching!

 

[bantam_babies]

I would think it's more normal for the older bird to attack new chicks. It's's really special that it has adopted them. Roosters care for chicks too, so it doesn't mean that it's a female. Very touching!

The Cornish was actually terrified of the new chicks at first, it has a nervous disposition - they've all warmed up to each other very quickly though, I'm definitely a happy chicken mama