Unsecure chicken perches

[daryl_h]

basically, i have 6 rhode island red hens around 20-25 weeks old and 1 cockerel about the same age. it was very recent i added the cockerel and 1 hen to my flock, its been 3 days and iv noticed the cockerel has fitted in quite well with the others but the hen is being bullied. they want let her out of the pen to eat or drink so i have to give her seperate food and water and they have been pecking her. the reason i got a cockerl is so i can have chicks but my hens wont sit on the eggs there jst not broody but i no the eggs are/were fertile because i have done the tests. so i read about buyin a silky bantam there are aparently very broody and are great mothers but i am jst worried than with the problem i have with my new standard hen and the bantam being alot small than the others will they do somthing horrible please help thanks.

[Egluntyne]

I think it a bit risky to put a single bantam in with an established flock of RIRs.

 

The cockerel will be too busy establishing himself and taking over from the top hen to protect her.

 

Some advice about introductions **here**

 

At the very least I would put out several feeders and drinkers, and some evergreen branches for her to seek refuge in.

[Redwing]

I'd wait for the cockerel to take charge first

 

Look for the LF version of the Silkie, they are bigger than the diddy bantam ones and will have more of a chance of being accepted - the LF version are just as broody as the little ones, they wont be as big as the RIR obviously but will be bigger than a bantam

 

When the time comes choose a top ranking hen from your group and introduce her to the Silkie, keep those apart from the rest for a while then start to introduce them together so Silkie has a buddy

[Lewis]

the reason i got a cockerl is so i can have chicks but my hens wont sit on the eggs there jst not broody but i no the eggs are/were fertile because i have done the tests.

Nothing to add, just wondering what tests you'd done?

 

If its with an incubator, could you not just incubate the eggs?

I'd think they may be a bit young to breed from, too

[daryl_h]

i held a uvlight up to my eggs and found the embrio, and can i just say thanks guys sooo much for your help i will deffiantly keep it in mind thank you

[daryl_h]

im sorry this may sound silly but wat is LF im very new 2 this thanks

[xScrunchee]

LF = Large Fowl

[daryl_h]

oh sorry Large fowl lol , i think i best start lookin were i can buy 1 becausei live in the west midlandsits hardto find a place to be honest

[chickyhazel]

whereabouts? Someone who lives nearby m,ight know a place.