moving chick/mama out to coop? UPDATE

[greytmommy]

ok, I let my OEGB hatch an egg a while ago (she was broody). She was a rescue and has been an indoor bird. I have been wanting to move her outside w/ the big girls, but they seemed to pick on her (i am assuming b/c she was SO small). Our thought was that if she hatched a chick, there would be 2 of them to move outside and she wouldnt be singled out as much.

so she hatched an egg right before Halloween. The chick is a mutt of Cochin and EE. He is 8wks old and much bigger than the OEGB already. We are 98% sure he is a roo (he is already trying to crow every morning!).

Our flock: mixed flock of 7 birds, 2 banty cochins (1 is a roo), 1 LF cochin, 2 EE's, a CM and a barred rock. We completely free range and our coop is quiet large for the amount of chickens we have (they all fit on ONE roost and we have 4!...the coop is 4ft wide and 8 ft long!) We have a heat lamp out there to turn on when the nights hit freezing or below (and we have had a few already).

so: is 8wks too young to put a chick outside in the winter? (he seems mostly fully feather except for his head...)
and: any tips on intergrating mama and chick into the flock and how to handle 2 roosters??

thanks!!!!

 

[QualityPolish]

Well, we actually kept our chicks inside their brooder or with their momma until 8 weeks or more. Depends if we incubated them or if the hen hatched them. To me 8wks is a little young to be putting out in those kind of temperatures so I would suggest to still be with momma or in a brooder. As for putting them with the flock, separate their run or put them in a enclosed area as to let the rest of the flock see momma and chick. DO this for a week or 2, just so they can sort out the pecking order. Then once a week or 2 has passed, release them with everybody but watch them for awhile so you can see if any pecking happens. It is normal for a little scuttle but if it's getting out of hand you may need to separate them again.
QP

 

[mstricer]

I just put my 8 week cochins out with the big girls no heat lamp and the Re doing fine.

 

[greytmommy]

UPDATE:

ok, chick and OEGB were accepted into the flock! They were never picked on badly. The OEGB was bullied a bit, but now she is just like the big girls. It is funny to see her scratching along side a giant Barred Rock! lol.

the EE/Cochin Chick has disappeared. he was all white with some black splashing...really pretty...but not very hidden to predators free ranging. So when he disappeared one day we were not suprised.

Thank you all for help and reassurance. I am glad we moved the OEGB outside. She is very happy and is pretty wiley, so I dont think she will become predator bait anytime soon.