Question about moving my bantam outdoors

[chicknhawaii]

I moved my Cornish X and RSLs outdoors relatively early, around 4-6 weeks b/c my Cornish just got too big for inside (messy too) & my RSLs were too much as a pair to keep indoors.

Now with the bebe, my "mystery" bantam, I'm not sure what to do. It has nothing to do with age (she's 6 weeks this week) or temperature (it's warm during the day 79-86 degrees on average and 65-74 at night). It's more her SIZE. She's smaller than the Ringneck Doves that hang out in our yard with the RSLs. I just recently transferred her from the small pet carrier to a plastic bin inside the house.

Since she's the only bebe, she's close to us. She follows me mostly and loves to fly onto people. Even onto the cats & one dog. She's trying to rule over the cats too.

Am I being overprotective & ridiculous over her? Is this normal for bantam parents, to be this way?

 

[Imp]

Sounds like you want a house chicken.

Imp

 

[wbruder17]

Its completely normal. I kept my favorite OEGB in the house from the first set of chicks until I moced the last set out. I loved her so much and liked having her close enough to bring up and hang out with. She loves to be held and pet.

It made it easier that I had 4 other littluns go out into the big girl coop together. They have protection in numbers and transition easier with buddies to hang out with. The smaller they are, either the more or bigger chicks I make sure to raise them with...example: one mini flock is an OEGB, and buff orp and a blue andalusian chick. 2 big ones to help protect the littlun. And another is a brahma, an ancona, 2 d'uccle and my favorite OEGB. 2 big ones and 3 littluns, safety with numbers.

They have, so far, not been bullied hardly at all and they are getting acquainted well.

So, you are totally justified in your concern about adding her alone. I would get a few more chicks and raise them with her and put them all out together.

 

[chicknhawaii]

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I don't, really, I don't. REALLY.

But seriously...I guess I'm having separation issues.

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ROFL! Gotta love that chicken math thing. Well...I was hoping my almost 3-yr-old RSLs would be friendly with her but the size difference is amazing to me. Maybe I will see if our local hatchery has an extra sex-link just lying around haha!