Need advice!

[khill909]

I have about 9 weeks old RIR and Leghorn, we recently found out that the leghorn is a rooster so we have to find him a new home. We picked up 2 new chicks on Friday Golden Orp and Barred Rock. I'm not sure how long our neighbors will put up with the crowing from the rooster, but I don't want the RIR to be alone for too long. What's the best way to introduce the chicks??? The Leghorn is extremely dominant. Would the RIR be okay alone?? Is it better to introduce the chicks young so that maybe the RIR will take on a more mothering approach? Please help!

 

[khill909]

 

[Mrs. K]

NO - unless the hen is broody and has been for a while, and the chicks are newly hatched.... if so, in the dark of the night, you can slip the chicks under her, but if they are only 9 weeks old, they won't be broody.

But if they are just layers in a non broody state, or just a bigger chick, they will almost certainly kill the chicks. One will need to wait until all the chicks are nearly the same size.

Mrs K

 

[Den in Penn]

If you can brood the chicks in a brooder in the coop with the RIR. You will have to have a wire barrier between them.That way they will grow up knowing each other, but the RIR can't beat them up. Then when they get close to the RIR size, when you put them together there will just be the confirming of the pecking order. Having the brooder in the coop also means that if the cockerel goes then the RIR will not really alone.