Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[AnnieB]

Hi all,

I already have 3 full grown hens but today my 16 year old went along to the Bridgend Show and came back with a very young Polish Bantam , i don't even know how old it is ,but it's very small. I don't know what to do with it, i mean where to house it. Can i put it in with the older hens? i don't want them to be mean and bully the poor thing.

 

I need some advice on what to do,can anyone help?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Annie x

[Snowy]

Whatever you do, don't put it straight in with the others, they will definitely attack it!

You will need some temporary accomodation for it.

Have a read through the FAQs on here for advice on introductions - you will need to either get other company for it, or wait until it is a bit bigger and introduce it very gradually.

[AnnieB]

Snowy, Thank you so much! i have been panicking like mad, the little thing is so cute but geez what a surprise i wasn't ready for!

[squiffs]

For a start the roosting bars in the eglu may cause a problem for a little chick - and absolutely don't put a chick in with full grown hens until it can stand up for itself - which is pretty much when it's at POL. Hope you find a way to house your new arrival!

[AnnieB]

At the moment the little one is in our large rabbit carrier whilst my Hubby is franticly putting up a new hutch for it!!

[Egluntyne]

When you say very small, how small do you mean?

 

If it is a tiny chick it will need to go under heat, such as an electric hen. Info can be found in the Hatching and Raising Chicks section of the forum.

[squiffs]

At the moment the little one is in our large rabbit carrier whilst my Hubby is franticly putting up a new hutch for it!!

 

 

hehe! I put my two in my cat carrier with some straw for the night when I disposed of a wasp nest - they didn't seem to mind, still got an egg the next day

[AnnieB]

When you say very small, how small do you mean?

 

If it is a tiny chick it will need to go under heat, such as an electric hen. Info can be found in the Hatching and Raising Chicks section of the forum.

 

I think it looks about 8 weeks? it's cheeping a lot! thanks for the advice.

[AnnieB]

At the moment the little one is in our large rabbit carrier whilst my Hubby is franticly putting up a new hutch for it!!

 

 

hehe! I put my two in my cat carrier with some straw for the night when I disposed of a wasp nest - they didn't seem to mind, still got an egg the next day

[scarlettohara]

If it's cheeping a lot it may be cold, give it a hot water bottle covered in a towel to simulate siblings/mum and well done for sorting out the hutch alternative I'd get it a friend of the same age

[egglicious]

I'm very new at this but I have heard that the polish ones get bullied a lot because they look so different and have a harder time standing up for themselves as their range of vision is impaired due to their crests. Sorry to be so negative but I have heard that lots on other forums. Can you get another polish of the same age? Two more even better...

[AnnieB]

If it's cheeping a lot it may be cold, give it a hot water bottle covered in a towel to simulate siblings/mum and well done for sorting out the hutch alternative I'd get it a friend of the same age

 

Took both your advice and got another Baby Polish bantam today, she has a wicked afro! thank you all for your advice, am glad the baby has another baby for company.

[Snowy]

Yay! Glad you are sorted now!

[fluffy chick]

Just caught up with this, glad you got sorted. You never know one day they might be ok together but I certainly wouldn't bank on it.

 

Would love to see pics

[egglicious]

If it's cheeping a lot it may be cold, give it a hot water bottle covered in a towel to simulate siblings/mum and well done for sorting out the hutch alternative I'd get it a friend of the same age

 

Took both your advice and got another Baby Polish bantam today, she has a wicked afro! thank you all for your advice, am glad the baby has another baby for company.

 

Yay!! We are in serious need of pics!!

[AnnieB]

I will try and post some pics over the next few days, (Try being the operative word!), We have bought another baby we have called Deliah, hopefully they will become good mates we are hoping to introduce them when they are older and put them back in with our full grown hens, don't know if it will work but here's hoping.

 

thank you again for all the great advice.