Dead Bird Problems

[chicken-quack]

Long story short:
6 chooks: 3 layers, 3 bantams. 3 layers dominate the 3 bantams, they never got along. Separated coops etc. Woke up to find 2 bantams dead. Leaving 1 bantam who has always been pretty independent alone. She gets slightly harassed by the 3 bug girls but she's always just ran away & moved on. She's a Polish so she can't see very well.

so main question is weather or not I should buy a friend for the polish or if she will be all good as the independent choock she is. If suggestions say I should buy another, what breed? Should it be a bantam or a bigger bird? There is just no way the polish & possible new girl will get 100% along with the other 3 but I am 10,000% sure the polish will have any issues with a new girl to live with.
So any suggestions?? Any help is highly appreciated

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would first figure out why the two bantam died, then I would wait to see how the remaining chickens get on. Do you want more birds, don't get more just to please the chicken, if she spends her time alone than she might be fine, polish chickens are a goofy bunch.

 

[azygous]

In regards to getting a "friend" for your lone Polish hen, it's as much of a myth that she needs a friend as a solitary cat needing a "friend". In each case, introducing a strange new chicken or cat will be much more stressful and annoying to each of these animals than if they were left to their solitary ways.

While it's true your chicken needs a flock and is happier being in a flock, it's enough for her just to see that the flock is in the vicinity. She will do just fine alone. Trust us on this. She will not welcome a new chicken.

I mentioned in another thread that chickens wrote the book on xenophobia. They really, really hate strange new chickens.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - glad that you have joined us. Great advice already so I'll just say hello.

All the best
CT