AnnieB Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieB Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieB Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 At the moment the little one is in our large rabbit carrier whilst my Hubby is franticly putting up a new hutch for it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieB Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieB Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieB Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Yay! Glad you are sorted now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 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!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieB Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
