2 pet chickens down to 1

[Chickenwithnobrim]

I KNOW I will get skewered for saying this, but while chickens are most assuredly flock animals, a single chicken can survive and even thrive without other birds.

I have had a house hen for more then 4 years; she likes me, the cat and one of the dogs. She is not lonely or despondent. My best efforts to integrate her into a flock have failed repeatedly.

Dogs are pack animals, generally happiest with their own kind, but I rarely see anyone say it's cruel to have a single dog. Animals make their own pack. I once had a young goat who decided he liked hanging out and living with the chickens. Odd, but it made Gordy happy.

You said your girls are pets and have a gorgeous coop. Perhaps your silkie would still live a perfectly good life alone, but with your attention and care. I'd at least try that.

Best wishes for finding a workable solution, and kudos to you for taking in the street hen and getting her a friend. You clearly have a good heart.

Thank you, I guess I had it in my head that a lone chicken is a dead chicken because of all the articles but id definitely give it a try. She's always been a bit of a solo chicken so Mayne she won't suffer as much as I thought. I will be keeping a close eye and spending as much time as possible with her regardless to see if this method works. Thanks again

 

[Chickenwithnobrim]

I KNOW I will get skewered for saying this, but while chickens are most assuredly flock animals, a single chicken can survive and even thrive without other birds.

I have had a house hen for more then 4 years; she likes me, the cat and one of the dogs. She is not lonely or despondent. My best efforts to integrate her into a flock have failed repeatedly.

Dogs are pack animals, generally happiest with their own kind, but I rarely see anyone say it's cruel to have a single dog. Animals make their own pack. I once had a young goat who decided he liked hanging out and living with the chickens. Odd, but it made Gordy happy.

You said your girls are pets and have a gorgeous coop. Perhaps your silkie would still live a perfectly good life alone, but with your attention and care. I'd at least try that.

Best wishes for finding a workable solution, and kudos to you for taking in the street hen and getting her a friend. You clearly have a good heart.

Can you give me any tips for keeping a house chicken? I'm worried about feather dust most of all

 

[Chickenwithnobrim]

I think keeping her one her own would depend on the environment.
For example, are there other animals kept outside ? Dog ? Cat ? Alpacas ? If yes then they would be company and she will be happy as Larry.
On the other hand if she was to see no one and spend all day in a small run alone then I don’t think that would be good for her mental health and no amount of Prozac will help her.
Hope my input helps

This is very true, I don't have other animals as it is urban (other than my cat, who my silkie has beat up time and time again) , but they have free roam of my small backyard. I like to spend as much time as possible back there when it's warmer out, reading or drawing or gardening and such. I hope it's enough but if her health both mentally and physically decline then I will make that difficult decision to let her go.

 

[Chickenwithnobrim]

First, I like you. You took in a hen and got her a friend. You are too responsible to pass on what is likely a carrier for a really bad disease. I think you are a good person.

Each situation is unique and each animal has its own personality. That single hen might be fine on her own, especially if she has another animal to keep her company. Or she may have issues. One trick people use when they are trying to raise a single baby chick is to put a mirror in the brooder. The reflection tends to keep them company. I don't know where to put the mirror, maybe one in the coop and one in the run. Depends on what your set-up looks like.

Good luck!

Thank you I will give this a shot first and try lots of chicken enrichment to keep her busy, and spend time out with her. She's always been more of a loner than street hen, so maybe she will be okay. She has free run of my backyard, though its relatively small as im in town. I have a cat that likes to visit her even though she hates him, I think it gives her something to do. I'll make that tough decision if it comes to that but maybe I can make her happy even if she's solo. If not I'll then make that difficult decision

 

[Callender Girl]

House chickens are going to bring feather dust and discarded feathers into your house. And, no matter how clean you keep their kennel, we all know cecal poop smells. A lot.

IF I could, I would move Dottie outside. However, there are some advantages to having her indoors: she isn't subject to predation, she's less likely to contract any parasites or diseases, and I don't have to go outdoors to gather her eggs!

One of my Salmon Faverolles died recently. She and her sister had been coop mates their entire lives. Camille now lives in their little coop by herself, and while I open her run so she can hang out with other hens, she generally hangs out alone. I considered trying to integrate her into one of the other coops, but she doesn't seem to want company. Maybe she will start to gravitate toward the others some day, maybe not. I'll let her decide.

I think you will be able to tell what's best for your girl

 

[Squawkers]

Everyone's situation is different but the needs of the animal don't change because of that.

That is not what I meant. I was referring to the fact that differing situations can cause different outcomes. If you were gone all day and had no time to spend with the chicken, then I think that wouldn't be fair, but if you worked from home or just make an effort to spend time with the chicken and provide plenty of enrichment then I think the chicken could be fine. Everyone's situation is different, so people who are gone all day probably couldn't provide the chicken with the proper care vs someone who is home more.

 

[Squawkers]

Everyone's situation is different but the needs of the animal don't change because of that.

It also depends a lot on the animal, I have a chicken that follows me around and chooses my company over the other chickens and I have had a chicken that is the exact opposite and wanted absolutely nothing to do with me.

 

[Mrs. K]

I got a rooster in a full molt, I was pretty sure it was a full molt. But I kept him for 6 weeks by himself, making sure that he was healthy. His feathers came in and he wowed the girls, but I will say this, a lot of people quarantine birds for weeks, to make sure.

So give it a try for several weeks, I think she will be fine.

Mrs K