What is best fo THEM?

[blue fire]

just recently my RIR Dingus died. now I am stuck with a broody BO and an irritated BPR. I am looking to get at least one more chicken. Should I buy a hen from someone? Should I get hatching eggs for my broody hen, or order chicks? What would be easiest and the best for them? I am afraid the pecking order is falling apart and they are both stressing out!

 

[Wildsky]

Sorry for your loss!

Your broody would love to hatch chicks, but that wouldn't do anything for your other chicken.

 

[silkiechicken]

As far as intergration and less worries of disease, giving the broody a chick after she has set for at least two weeks, or letting her hatch eggs, will be the easiest to bring in new birds as the pecking order will be less "attacks" of an intruder, and rather, this is your place, take it. Plus, hatching eggs, or brining in chicks which have not had adult contact prevents brining in stuff like mites, lice, and at worse, a sickness of some sort.

 

[blue fire]

I am worried that if I hatch chicks they would easily get eaten and what I would do with the boys when they grow up, would buying chicks and putting them under her better? how would I keep the hens out of the chick food? would the mommy let me touch her babies? would having chicks hurt her relationship with the other hen? would the other hen pick on the babies?

 

[silkiechicken]

If you can only have girls... you could just give your hen a single chick at night and hope she takes over. I've done this successfully twice now. Just late at night, about 2-3 weeks in.. or in the second case... 6 weeks in... give the momma hen a chick at night and let her be. She won't move far the first day, but on the 2-3 she'll go out with the baby and keep a very close eye on it if she turns out to be a good mom. She will protect it from the other hen, and when it grows up, the chick will learn it's place between it's mom and the other girl. If you get multiple chicks, mom hen will spread her attention around accordingly and won't be able to keep as a protective eye on it. I'd keep it at a small number if you keep momma hen with the other girl at the same time, which can be done. My single hen was so protective of her chick she fought off a hawk twice to make sure her baby wasn't eaten. Go ahead and give chick food to everyone. Get non medicated if you can, but if you can't, get one with only amprolium so you can still eat the eggs. Momma may be very protective of her chick, or let you touch it when you want. Depends on the hen. Once shes "done" raising the baby, she and the other hen will get together fine. Flock dynamics between just a few birds is not nearly as brutal as flock dynamics of a few dozen at the same time. Picking on the baby and kicking out of the nest so to say will start anytime between 6-8 weeks old.

 

[blue fire]

Know where I can get a single chick in TN?

What about the other girl? She was very attached to our RIR now she does not have a friend, will my BO have time for her and her chick? The other hen is the one I am realy worried about. could she become friends with the chick?

 

[blue fire]

I realy want to help my barred rock more than my BO

 

[silkiechicken]

Chick can be friends with them all in the end. Really depends on the flock and individual birds. If you bring in an adult, there's always a chance that they never click too. Just depends.

 

[blue fire]

Thanx for your help silkiechicken!!

 

[wegotchickens]

Where are you in TN?
Maybe someone has a chick you can get!