Lost a chick

[JTaylorFFemt]

I’m a new chicken owner, it’s going great so far and they’re settling in and growing like weeds. They’re about 7 weeks old now. I had 4 total, 3 Plymouth rocks and 1 Australorp.

The reason I say “had” is because unfortunately the other day I left my dog out back with them unattended and he ate one of my rocks

He’s been very good with them since I got them so it was very unexpected and he is now not allowed around them unattended. My question though is are they young enough I can get another chicken and add it to the flock? I can go back to the same farm and get one from the same batch I got these guys so they’d be the same age. But I’ve been told they don’t take well to new chickens.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

They should take just fine! I had mine accept a new hatchling at that age so you should be good.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You could try adding the new one in at night/dark but be up early to observe how it's working out.

"See but no touch" integration is usually recommended when adding to a flock ... Put the new one (maybe 2) in a wire cage with food/water & the cage in the coop/run with the rest. Watch how they interact and go from there.

 

[JTaylorFFemt]

Awesome thanks! The lady at the farm I got them from stressed I can’t add chickens to my flock, hence why I came here with the question.

 

[JTaylorFFemt]

You could try adding the new one in at night/dark but be up early to observe how it's working out.

"See but no touch" integration is usually recommended when adding to a flock ... Put the new one (maybe 2) in a wire cage with food/water & the cage in the coop/run with the rest. Watch how they interact and go from there.

That’s what I was worried about. They have definitely been acting funny since the incident also, and a little more sketched out, with good reason. I’ll have to wait till I’m off for a few days to intergrate the new guy then

 

[ChickNanny13]

Your "flock" maybe traumatized by the incident, will take them a while to settle back down. Good idea to wait until you can be there to observe. Good luck, sorry for your loss

 

[aart]

Awesome thanks! The lady at the farm I got them from stressed I can’t add chickens to my flock, hence why I came here with the question.

That's odd.
Never ever add any... or were there caveats as to how to add them??


Might be better to add 2 instead of just 1.
Things might go great....or not, you never know with live animals.
I've had chicks integrate fine, and others that took weeks to get together.


Here's some tips that might help.
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.