Introducing one pullet to a flock?

[Silkiesaz]

Hi all, I was hoping you could help me with my flock. I had three chicks, 2 pullets and a cockeral. The cockeral got sent to a different farm because I already have a rooster. And last night one of the pullets didn't come back after free ranging with my ducks. So now I have one 9 week old pullet. Is it safe to put her in with the big chickens alone? What other options do I have? And help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NatJ]

Maybe you can arrange for her to live next to the other chickens, able to see and interact through a wire mesh divider but not able to be picked on.

That would keep her from getting too lonely, and would let the others get used to seeing her and not picking on her.

If you just put her in with the others, she might have a very tough time until she grows up.

If you let them out to free range, you could probably let her out too, because free ranging would give enough space for her to avoid the big chickens if needed. But she might need a separate space in the coop & run until she's fully mature and able to make her way into the pecking order safely. (When a pullet starts to lay eggs, the change in her hormones can also change her behavior in ways that let her fit in better with other adult chickens.)

Sometimes you can arrange a safe place with a small entrance, so the pullet can go in but the other chickens cannot. But that works better with really small chicks. The bigger they get, the less possible that is, and she might already be too big for that to work.

 

[Isadora]

Since there's only one of her the chances of her heavily being bullied would be high. I wouldn't just throw her in there without even an introduction. Setting up some kind of small enclosure where she is near the other chickens but not able to touch them would be beneficial. For at least a week. Perhaps longer.

 

[Solanacae]

Definitely go with a lengthy integration. How much space you have in your coop and run, if they have time to free range, if you have “clutter” in those areas to break up sight lines, multiple feeding stations . . . all of this will affect how successfully she will integrate but it won’t be easy on her. Any chance you could find another pullet of about the same age?

 

[Silkiesaz]

Maybe you can arrange for her to live next to the other chickens, able to see and interact through a wire mesh divider but not able to be picked on.

That would keep her from getting too lonely, and would let the others get used to seeing her and not picking on her.

If you just put her in with the others, she might have a very tough time until she grows up.

If you let them out to free range, you could probably let her out too, because free ranging would give enough space for her to avoid the big chickens if needed. But she might need a separate space in the coop & run until she's fully mature and able to make her way into the pecking order safely. (When a pullet starts to lay eggs, the change in her hormones can also change her behavior in ways that let her fit in better with other adult chickens.)

Sometimes you can arrange a safe place with a small entrance, so the pullet can go in but the other chickens cannot. But that works better with really small chicks. The bigger they get, the less possible that is, and she might already be too big for that to work.

Ok. I have her sleeping in the people area of their coop. She sees them everyday. Would it work if I just let them see her until the spring when she is bigger?

 

[Solanacae]

Ok. I have her sleeping in the people area of their coop. She sees them everyday. Would it work if I just let them see her until the spring when she is bigger?

Make sure she has options for dustbathing. You can periodically try out letting her hang out with the bigger girls to see how well everyone tolerates it.

 

[NatJ]

Ok. I have her sleeping in the people area of their coop. She sees them everyday. Would it work if I just let them see her until the spring when she is bigger?

Yes, that would probably work fairly well.