Someone attacked my baby!

[krudolph]

I have (had) three silver-laced Wyandottes, about 6 weeks old now, that I was introducing to my flock. Flock is one EE roo, with 10 various hens. I've introduced before with little or no trouble: last year introduced three RIR by putting them in a dog crate inside the coop for a week and then releasing. A little dicey at first, but no real problems. Back to the Wyandottes: I put them in the crate in the coop for a week. Released them last Saturday. Everyone was acting great...seemed to be the easiest release I'd ever done. Then, day before yesterday, hubbie says "girls aren't coming out of coop into the run...what gives?" Search me. I checked on everyone and they were all fine, just inside coop. Last evening, was working in the yard til dusk, went to check on everyone before shutting the doors for the night, and found one of my babies out in the run, injured. All others inside the coop. Don't know who did it (assume the roo) but I pulled her out of there and put her in the cage in garage. She died while I closed up for the night. I am sick about it. Other two young ones are hiding (?) beneath the ladder in the coop. This morning they were all up and about, things looked OK again. What's going on? I can't sit and watch them all day...I have a job. Any advice as to what's happening?:

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

What kind of injurey? Could it just be that the other chickens attacked her? Make sure if there is any wound that you seperate the injured one from the rest of the flock because they might pick at her scabs. Blu-Kot can also help, as well as a red heat lamp instead of a white light.

 

[chicmom]

Six weeks is kind of small to be putting them in with adult hens. I think you're taking a huge risk......Usually, I wait until they are very close to being the same size as the adults.......I would remove them until they're older. Especially now that there are only two smaller ones left.

So sorry for your loss,

Sharon

 

[krudolph]

I may be off on my ages...they are very close to being same size as rest of girls. But thanks for advice, and I will take remaining two back out this evening after work and try again in a couple weeks?

 

[azygous]

You can merge six-week olds with the older flock as long as you provide a safety area for them to retreat into when bullied. I rig up a small enclosure within the pen with smaller openings that only the small fry fit through. Food and water are placed inside and the babies quickly learn to run there when chased. I've used this "panic room" method very successfully to merge six-week olds.

It's heart-wrenching to have a youngster die, but we all have suffered this sort of thing with our learning curve on keeping chickens. Not too late to install the panic room and keep the others safe.