Last Monday, I blended my (5) six-week-old chicks into my coop with the (4) one-year-old hens that I have. I thought things were going pretty good - the chicks were able to eat and drink with the some of the "big girls" but for the most part, they stayed together, out of the way of the older ones and the older ones for the most part ignored the new ones. Today though, I found my six-week-old Delaware in a corner of my chicken tractor with blood on her head and ear. Before I could get her out of the tractor, my year old Rhode Island Red hen, Eunice, stepped in the doorway between the coop and the tractor, which was backed up to the coop with its door open. The Delaware started screaming and tried to get through the wire walls of the tractor. I hurried and got the Delaware out and took her back to my brooder room and doctored her up. She calmed right down and allowed me to work on her head with out a fight. She even rested the tip of her beak on the tabletop so that I could clean her wound on the back of her head and treat it with the antibiotic cream - all without a struggle! She also got quite noisy if I sat her down, but would quietly and contently rest in my arms if I held her, and allowed me to carry her all around the yard. ……I'm hoping that once she heals some and the RED is gone from the wounds (from the blood), maybe I can find a way to reintroduce her back into the flock. So far, all the other new chicks are ok. ....Any idea WHY the Delaware was attacked by the RIR (I think)??? Any suggestions on how I should reintroduce her back into the flock? .....Should I take Eunice out behind the barn!!???
I appreciate any help you can give!!
Glenda
Help - New chick attacked by my RIR
If it were me I would pull another of the chicks and put it with the one you brought back inside. Keep them both out of the coop until the one is completely healed. Because they are together they will bond and have more of a buddy system going in.... I find that helps out when introducing to a flock vs. a single newbie.
What I like to do is first put them in a wire dog cage in the coop for several days so they can be seen but not injured. Then I turn them loose inside the coop and sometimes it is several days before they will venture out of the coop to the chicken yard..... when they are comfortable they make the transition.
I've had this system work for me and it might help you re-introduce. That chick might still be the focus of aggression but sometimes having a buddy going in will take some of the heat off.
Good luck
~Julie
Thanks Julie! That's exactly what I will do.
~~ Glenda