How to build flock around my chicken.

[growingchicks]

OK, so recently we had a bear attack and kill my entire flock, save one, and she is absolutely miserable alone. She was a bottom player in the pecking order, so is quite anxious as well.

We have addressed said bear issues - hopefully for good - and now need to get a new flock. We got her as a rescue, she had been attacked by a dog and really relied on her flock for her comfort and safety. She never strayed on her own - she had to have someone with her so she had confidence.

That said, she was the brooder of the bunch. If you left eggs, she would brood them. And wouldn't leave until you get them out of the coop.

So would it be easiest for her to adjust with younger chicks? Or a new flock that has already bonded, so to speak? Or single chickens?

I've never had to quarantine as the entire flock was a rescue from the same place at the same time, which happened to be 4 houses down from me.

So all tips are welcome!

Thanks for any input!!

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

well, i had a similar thing happen. I had a flock of 10 that i brought with me from AL to MO and they were in a coop that had a bungee cord to close it (we arrived at the new house at midnight, and i didn't even think about predetor because in al (middle of nowhere) nothing bothered the chickens (they even got out at night). Get to the middle of the city, and that night all but 1 chicken got eaten. It was pretty sad.

anyways, i kept her alone for a couple of weeks, looking for free chickens and trying to decide what to do. she kept getting more depressed, so i finally went out and bought 2 bantam cochins. The 3 got along great, and helped her get out of her "funk." I didn't quarintine the 2 because normally i quarantine for 2-3 weeks, and didn't think she wanted to wait that long. Besides, since it was only one chicken and not a whole flock, i didn't care as much...i just wanted her happy.

3-4 months later i rescued a flock of 8 laying hens, 1 bantam cochin rooster, and 2 ducks. So i moved the 3 out of the coop and they free ranged during the day, and were kept in a dog kennel at night for about 3 weeks. Then i started letting them meet the new flock under supervision, and one night just stuck them in the coop with the new flock, and the next morning they all got along ok. now i have introduced them to nearly 50 newbies over time, and have a nice large flock.

Ok, haha, thats what i did. with your questions. Younger chicks would take a little while to mature enough to be put with adult birds. She seems like she doesn't want to wait a few months for companions. An already bonded flock would be pretty bad because she would be singled out as the only outsider, and would be picked on and shunned from the new flock. you should alway have at least 3-5 imo to introduce to a bigger flock.

I good suggestion if you would like to raise chicks would be to get 1-2 adult hens or point of lay pullets to keep her company while you raise the babies. Then, once the babies are feathered out enough, introduce them all. That is personally what i would do (Actually that was my original plan, but i couldn't leave the rescue flock in the conditions they were in. They had not water, barely any food, were cramped, and the floor was caked with tons of poop and broken eggs...the owners had just stopped collecting eggs and there were nearly 100 rotting in the coop.

Well, sorry for the long post...hope this helps a bit!!

 

[growingchicks]

Yes! That absolutely helps a TON! The wildlife people came and got the bear today, he will be euthanized, which is unfortunate but apparently bears tend to travel back to their territories.

She won't go back into her coop at all as of yet - I cleaned it as best as I could, but nothing so far. She's been avoiding the entire area.. Hoping over the next few days she will but until then she is roosting on my kitchen sink that she so elegantly chose as her coop with my protector cat nestled under her on the floor..

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Yes! That absolutely helps a TON! The wildlife people came and got the bear today, he will be euthanized, which is unfortunate but apparently bears tend to travel back to their territories.

She won't go back into her coop at all as of yet - I cleaned it as best as I could, but nothing so far. She's been avoiding the entire area.. Hoping over the next few days she will but until then she is roosting on my kitchen sink that she so elegantly chose as her coop with my protector cat nestled under her on the floor..

good!! Well, sad for the bear, but at least the issue is gone! I'm thankful i've never had to deal with bears...raccoons and foxes are bad enough!

Yeah, she is most likely still freaked from the attack...did it happen in the coop?? lol, that's a funny spot