question about unsocialized pullets and bringing one into my miniflock

[aubreynoramarie]

I found an add on craigslist for ten week old barred rocks. thats cool because ive been looking for a barred rock to join my two girls that are seven weeks old. But when i called the lady she said they were not socialized.

a) is ten weeks to big to be with seven weeks?

and b) will she be extremely frightened and skittish and make my girls the same way?

 

[aubreynoramarie]

any experience with this one guys?

 

[Morgan7782]

I will give it a shot. If you are getting a new chick I would suggest getting 2 if you can, purely because you should quarantine for 30 days. By then she should be 11 weeks and big enough to be integrated into your flock.

Once quarantined, I would set up a safe area where your older girls can view, smell, hear the new girl but not peck her mercilessy. Leave it like that for a week or two and then either introduce at night (personally wouldn't but have heard some people do) or introduce while free ranging them if you do that.

I have four 8 week olds in quarantine now, and two 12 week olds in the coop outside. This is how I will be doing it

 

[gryeyes]

And by the time they have completed quarantine, you will have socialized them.

Problem solved! Voila!