Newbie needs flock help

[Michel85]

Hey there. Let me start off by saying that I'm a newbie and could really use some help. Two months ago I purchased two chicks, an orpington and an eater egger. The EE turned out to be a rooster and I took him back today because we can't have them where i live. I didn't want to have just one chicken so the lady at the feed store said that I could have a white plymouth rock pullet that was about the same age as mine. Without really thinking I brought it home and put it in my yard. I didn't really know about quarantining at the time. They've been back there together for a few hours now. should i still separate them? Also i picked up a 5 day old barred plymouth rock while i was there. she is in a seperate little incubator with a light, but is freaking out becuase she's alone. Where I live we can only have 3 chickens so i guess my options are to keep the birds I have or take back the white plymouth and get another chick to keep the bpr company. suggestions?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Mirror and stuffed animal for the younger chick.

Yes you should have kept them apart, but a few hours together now is pointless to seperate them.

Enjoy the birds.

 

[Nicole01]

It's too late to quarantine if they are together. They will most likely be fine.

The wee little one. Find a mirror and stuffed animal to put in the brooder. I've never had a chick by itself. If this doesn't work, pick up another at the feed store and rehome at around 4 months of age. Heck, I'd keep all 4.

Or you could put the chick if possible out where the others are behind a barrier. This will make integration go much better!

I use a wire dog kennel as a brooder. I secure my heat lamp inside the dog kennel and I put the kennel inside the coop. You could build a barrier if your coop is not big enough for a kennel out of wire.

You will need to let the little one get the same size as the others before you integrate with the other two. It takes me a minimum of 3 weeks using a barrier to integrate any of my chicks. I'm on my 4th round now, so it seems routine for me. I hatched 3 two weeks ago that will go outside in a week or two.

Here are 3 I integrated this past May.

Good luck!