new to backyard chickens

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jwncma06

jwncma06

Hatching
5 Years
Jan 16, 2015
4
0
9
Burleson, Tx
Hello. My name is Jessica and I have backyard chickens. I purchased my chickens in the fall and I actually recently lost one. She was our favorite. Since her death the chicken she was raised with has literally doubled in size in like a weeks time! I brought her inside bc she was attacking the new chicken I got to replace the one we lost. Not just pecking order stuff but full on chicken fight. She wouldnt let the new one in the coop and i found my new one out in the rain, completely soaked and it was like 30 degrees out. So i brought the older one inside to see if separation from the flock would calm her down. Well since I brought her inside I used one of those small mason jar feeders and put over a weeks worth of food in it for her.... She ate it all in 1 (ONE) day!!!! Is she over eating because she lost her sister or is it something else. But like i said she had doubled in size since the other one died. Seriously she will morph into a turkey if she keeps it up!
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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I am sorry you lost your baby.
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I recently lost my favorite hen too. It is never easy to lose them. Here is an article I recently wrote on whether chickens mourn the loss of a flock mate that might be of help to you...https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/do-poultry-actually-mourn-over-the-loss-of-a-flock-mate

As for mixing in new birds to a flock....even if that flock consists of one bird, you can't throw them in together fast. They can kill each other. The intro has to be done slowly. So get the new bird and put her in a cage or enclosure in the coop and run and leave her in there for about 3 weeks. They can see but can't touch. This will allow them to get to know each other from behind wire.

Then in 3 or so weeks you can mix them together. There will still be some jostling, but it shouldn't be too brutal. Of course always intervene if it turns bloody. Put more food and watering stations out so the new bird doesn't have to compete. And at roosting time, you will need to go up and get her into the coop for a while until they become civil to each other.

Good luck with your birds and we do welcome you to our flock!
 
She is a Barred Rock and is 5 months old. The one I lost was a buff orpington. I bought them together as 2 week old chicks and up until recently thought they were both orpingtons. I also have 2 American buttercups that are over a year old ( they were about 8 months old when I got them). As of her weight I am not sure. She is much bigger than my buttercups though almost double their size.

Thank you TwoCrows I will definitely read that article! I dont have a way to separate the two inside the coop or run... Would it work if i put a cage on the ouside right against the run?
 
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. I'm sorry for the loss of your chick. It's always sad to lose one of our flock. My daughter's name is Jessica as well. :eek:) TwoCrows has given you some good advice so I'll just say, please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.
 
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We're glad you joined us!

I'm sorry for your loss!
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The other members have given you some good advice already.
 

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