My introduction

PattynSteve

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Hello, We live in Ca. High Desert. We have had our chickens (Australorp mix= my guess) for 1 1/2 months. 4 girls and they lay. We were told they were mutts when we purchased them and the age was not known. The following week we picked up 2 Rode Island Red chicks who are now 7 wks. old. We have a coop for the chickens and we have been keeping the chicks in a greenhouse. During the day we let the chickens roam the yard and the chicks somewhat roam in a large fenced (3ft. in height) area. They are able to see each other during the outside time. Yesterday either my dog jumped the fence or the chick flew over it and one chick is dead. My husband has since made a large outside enclosure for our remaining chick so that she is safe. Today while I was in constant supervision I had all birds out in the yard together. The chick follows me most constant venturing to the other chickens for moments at a time. She is not even 1/2 of their size. I can continue doing this until she gets close to the same size as the others but would be a huge drag.She will go into the coop during the day while all are out and the coop is open. At times a chicken will go in and walk about then leave. They don't chase her accept short moments like they do amongst themselves when they are in the coop eating ( not her, she doesn't eat in the coop with them). I am thinking of trying to find another same size chick as she so that she will have a buddy once again.The problem with that is finding one and then introducing them to each other and that not working out. Am I going in the right direction here? Suggestions and points to ponder would be nice.
 

I hatch all mine in an incubator and raise them then put them out ..




Different sizes different types ....





It will work out ...





You need to properly introduce them to each other first ....
A cage at 3 week for several weeks then let them go ....
No big trick and easy to do ...
 
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Welcome to BYC!

So sorry about the dog attack and the loss of your chick. You will need to do something to prevent this from happening again. 7 weeks old is too young to be integrating with older birds. So you need to keep this young bird separated but within the flock for a couple more months. She could get hurt by the others and she shouldn't be eating layer feed yet. You could get another chick to keep her company as it is easier to mix in a couple birds instead of one chick into an adult flock.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about the loss of your chick. X3 it is going to be a while before you can put the seven week old with the older girls, so getting another chick about her age is probably a good idea, they usually are not that much trouble to integrate that young especially since you only have one chick. You might want to check out / post in your state thread to see if anyone local has a chick the right age https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread
 

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