New Chicken Momma at a loss

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jsthilaire716

jsthilaire716

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So I guess I will start out like this, my name is Julie and I'm a new Chicken Momma. I started out with (12) day olds and my flock has since grown in size. They are nearly 8 weeks old now and just starting out in their new digs. Now my dilemma, my dh came home with a chicken given to him as a kind gesture (he called me on the way home and told me she was the same age as the others so I really wasn't worried) when he arrived I was SHOCKED, this chicken was maybe double the size of a day old!! she is fully feathered and flies rather well. I have no idea why she is so tiny (she is a Buff Orpington) my heart filled with dread I just knew the others would not accept her, and I was right they went after her without mercy. I separated her, and she just sat in the back of the "brooding pen" and withdrew. I picked her up, she is the sweetest girl ever, she sat on my shoulder snuggled into my neck and made the cutest "purring" noises. So of course I get the bright idea that she needs "friends" so I go out and get 3 more small breed chickens of the same age, they get along well but just sit in the back of the "brooding pen" with the same quiet withdrawn look, so I tried again to introduce, the 3 new ones were immediately accepted with little incident. So I appeal to your collective wisdom, how can I get her to grow? I feel if she was bigger they would accept her, I don't want her to die of loneliness and as much as I would like to I can not sit with her snuggled in my neck all day either
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Thank you in advance for any input you are willing to give.
 
Hi Julie and welcome to BYC. Glad that you have joined us. You could possibly consider making a separate area for her in the brooder and providing food, water - heat should not be necessary at that age. This way, at least she can access food and water and the other chicks can see her. Thats about all i can suggest. It could be that she is a bantam of some description, and if so, she will be considerably smaller than your other chickens.

Best wishes
CT
 
She sounds like such a sweetheart you could make her a house pet. Maybe she is a bantam breed and just won't get larger. Please check out "people with house chickens." thread.

You'd be surprised at how many folks do so. My friend had had various house chickens for over 25 years. She has it down to a science. Right now she has 2 serama hens and one silkie hen.

When birds are not accepted by the flock, they can really blossom as a house pet. Humans become their flock mates.
 
I would not object to her being a house chicken but we have 2 italian greyhounds and 2 cats all of which are older and set in their ways, my dh just ordered a portable coop. I am in hopes that she will get at least the size of our hamburg variety chickens then they may accept her as they have accepted them. I have barred rocks, easter eggers, a few different polish varieties and a couple different hamburg varieties, in total 24 chickens. I am trying to get her to eat some protein and probiotics but so far she won't eat eggs, greek yogurt or even greens. I refuse to give up on her
 

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