introducing chicks to the flock

[Ambiguity]

My first batch of chicks that are eight weeks old are stinking up my house, sadly. Last night my husband introduced them to the flock. I know such transitions can be rough so when I went to feed them this morning I did a head count on my babies. The ones hiding behind the feeder seem great, but one of my little babies is missing wing feathers and bleeding.

I picked her up and brought her inside and put her in the brooder. And for chicks that were very flighty she was very docile. My question is I don't know if I did the right thing. My first thought was that because she was bleeding the chickens will continue to peck her, so I brought her inside, where she is all alone, but then I thought that if I seperate her from her chickmates she will lose whatever bond she had with them and then when I reintroducer her she will have double trouble. . .

Should I clean up the blood on the wing but a few more hidey holes in the coop? or should I just keep her in here with me all along? or something else. Thanks so much for your help

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I would take it back out an section off part of the coop with 2 by 4 wire so the smaller ones can get away from the big ones but still have the run of the coop.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Keep her isolated until she heals. Set up a screened place where she will be next to the flock but where they cannot get to her until she is healed. Give her her own food and water and make sure it is predator proof.

When introducing new chickens to a flock, it is best to have them adjacent where they can see each other before you mix them. The longer the better, but a week should be long enough And mix them at night. There will still be pecking order issues, but these should be greatly reduced.