A bear got 6/7 of my chickens...

[Psei]

The chicken the bear didn't get is the sweetest of the bunch. The other chickens would scuffle and fight for dominance and she always just hung out being cool. A friend gave us two younger chickens and when everyone else was mean to them (after a slow introductory period) she slept with the little silkie who was too little to roost. I know I *should* get a couple grown chickens to keep her company, but we hand raised these chickens and they loved people and the idea of popping some randoms in there makes me very sad. Is it insane to think we could get chicks again in hopes that our lone chicken would adopt them? Her name is even Mamma (named before any of this happened).

 

[barred2rock]

Sorry for your loss! It's never easy losing an animal.

You could always get chicks and introduce them (over time) when they're old enough.

ETA: You'll need to address your security issue before getting more birds or it'll just happen again.

 

[rugger327]

You are fortunate. I've never had a bear get into a coop where they didn't kill every last one. Coons are almost as bad. Foxes will take one a day until the supply is gone.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

So sorry for your lose. Glad you had one stay safe. Has she shown signs of ever being broody? Perhaps she may be willing to take in new chicks or pullets. Hate for her to be lonely, after the trama she has been through. What can you do about the bear?

 

[azygous]

It's not insane to wish your hen would adopt the chicks you wish to give her, but it's not realistic. A hen needs to go through a hormonal change in order to "get in the mood", and you can't force her to do it. It happens or it doesn't, and even then, she might reject the chicks.

A more practical way to restore your flock, and I do sympathize with the bear attack having had some myself, is to get some chicks and fix up a brooder in the coop or run (if it's secure) and raise them where the hen can see them.

By the time they reach two weeks, you can start letting them mingle with the hen provided you have plenty of space and small chick openings in the brooder pen so they can get back inside to safety when they need to.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in learning more about, scroll down and click on my article about brooding outdoors.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. The only thing you can really do is try. If she doesn't adopt them, you can just hand raise them yourself and move them out with her at 6-8 weeks old.

 

[Psei]

Sorry for your loss! It's never easy losing an animal.

You could always get chicks and introduce them (over time) when they're old enough.

ETA: You'll need to address your security issue before getting more birds or it'll just happen again.

We are absolutely addressing the security issue. The bear pried open a metal storm door that was deadbolted shut that serves as the front door of the coop. It's amazing how strong and determined that bear was! Adding another deadbolt to that side of the door should prevent it from happening again.

 

[Psei]

You are fortunate. I've never had a bear get into a coop where they didn't kill every last one. Coons are almost as bad. Foxes will take one a day until the supply is gone.

We made a lot of security updates to the outside fenced area of the coop because we keep ducks outside. Because of this and the warm summer I had been leaving the coop door open, the bear got into the coop but couldn't get into the outside part (it tried to bend the fence) so she fled to the bottom with the ducks. Honestly, I am shocked she is the one who made it, she is a big fluffy Cochin and never one to move very fast.

 

[Psei]

So sorry for your lose. Glad you had one stay safe. Has she shown signs of ever being broody? Perhaps she may be willing to take in new chicks or pullets. Hate for her to be lonely, after the trama she has been through. What can you do about the bear?

The truthly sad part of all this is they were just getting ready to lay, we actually found our first tiny egg while cleaning up the carnage. So she hasn't really had a chance to be broody yet. We're gonna figure out what's best for her even if we have to give her away. We have spoken with the game warden, he told us to put out ammonia rags and radio playing talk radio shows and he is dropping off some rubber shot gun bullets so we can teach that bear a lesson if it comes back (but not kill it, I would hate for it to come to that).

 

[Psei]

It's not insane to wish your hen would adopt the chicks you wish to give her, but it's not realistic. A hen needs to go through a hormonal change in order to "get in the mood", and you can't force her to do it. It happens or it doesn't, and even then, she might reject the chicks.

A more practical way to restore your flock, and I do sympathize with the bear attack having had some myself, is to get some chicks and fix up a brooder in the coop or run (if it's secure) and raise them where the hen can see them.

By the time they reach two weeks, you can start letting them mingle with the hen provided you have plenty of space and small chick openings in the brooder pen so they can get back inside to safety when they need to.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in learning more about, scroll down and click on my article about brooding outdoors.

This idea is really appealing to me. Honestly, if the survivor was any of my other chickens I wouldn't even consider putting a chick near them, but she's is just so sweet. Thank you for the advice!