Adding 1 hen...eventually.

[Kaye Pek]

We lost a chicken unexpectedly over the weekend and are now debating whether or not to add to the flock at some point in the near-ish future. Being in the 'burbs we're limited by bylaws to four hens only, so we'd be adding one hen. What feedback can you give me on the thoughts I already have? What are some other things we need to be considering?

*we do have the space for more chickens in the run and the coop--no issue with overcrowding
*since we're going to be moving it all anyway, should we move the coop and run at the same time as we introduce a new hen (post-quarantine)?
*our current three hens are all around a year old, so we're thinking 6-12 months old for the new addition.
*is it better to add a hen sooner or later to a flock this small? At this point we're looking to start the process in a month or so.
*what are some good breeds to consider for low broodiness, good temperament, and solid laying? We currently have a hybrid brown layer (Gold Star, iirc), an Australorp, and a Pearl White Leghorn. The GS is bossy and the PWL is very flighty. The kids like to track which hens are laying (and frankly, so do I--one more way to see what's going on out there) so an Easter Egger or Olive Egger would be nice, or something else that would lay a not-white, not-light-brown egg.
*the GS and A are pretty easily handled, so I could pull them out of the permanent run into a separate-but-attached area to give a newbie some space to explore the permanent structures. The PWL would follow her sisters, although she may need a little help.

 

[cavemanrich]

Is your new location you are moving to,, same restrictions on numbers??
I usually like to add new members to existing flock in pairs. Or More. If you will be moving where restrictions are more lax,, then do the addition then,, and multiple.
Easter eggers, will lay different shades of color even from same batch of chicks. In my experience,, I had 3 EE, and each laid different color. Very GOOD CHOICE, all around hens!!

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Kaye Pek]

Is your new location you are moving to,, same restrictions on numbers??
I usually like to add new members to existing flock in pairs. Or More. If you will be moving where restrictions are more lax,, then do the addition then,, and multiple.
Easter eggers, will lay different shades of color even from same batch of chicks. In my experience,, I had 3 EE, and each laid different color. Very GOOD CHOICE, all around hens!!

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

We’re not moving house, just shifting the coop and run. The hubs is sizing the run up and since he’s taking it apart some anyway, we figured it’s a good time to shift everything to a new spot.

Thanks for the feedback on the EEs. Good to know that you’ve found them reliable!

 

[LizzzyJo]

I’d go EE or CCLB and wait until you move the coop. Do a solid look-don’t-touch period.

Good luck!

 

[NatJ]

If you have lots of extra space in the coop & run,
and if one of your hens goes broody,
then you might be able to buy just one pullet chick, and let the hen raise it.
Re-introducing the mother, plus her one baby, might be easier than introducing a single adult hen.

I would not try to raise one chick by itself, but a single chick raised by a hen is not really alone.

(Note, a broody hen needs to sit on something for about 3 weeks before you give her any chicks to raise. Fake eggs or golf balls work fine for her to sit on. Then get a young chick, and tuck it under her at night so she & the chick can cluck/peep at each other all night long and start to get acquainted. It often works, but is not 100% guaranteed.)

 

[Mrs. K]

Let your birds out into the yard, and let the new one locked in the set up. Let the old ones in as close to dark as you can. You can try letting them roost together, or put the new one in a cage. Rinse repeat for a couple of days.

Add one of the old chickens (the middle one if you can) to the new chicken. Might be a dust up, but probably not much. Rinse, repeat. This is introducing 1 to 1, not 3 to 1. Much better.

Then let all of them out into the yard, rather late in the day. I would expect them all to roost up together.

Have multiple feed bowls, and hideouts in the run.

Mrs K

 

[Kaye Pek]

I’d go EE or CCLB and wait until you move the coop. Do a solid look-don’t-touch period.

Good luck!

CCLB is one other breed that I’ve seen recommended. What do you like and dislike about them?

 

[Kaye Pek]

If you have lots of extra space in the coop & run,
and if one of your hens goes broody,
then you might be able to buy just one pullet chick, and let the hen raise it.
Re-introducing the mother, plus her one baby, might be easier than introducing a single adult hen.

I would not try to raise one chick by itself, but a single chick raised by a hen is not really alone.

(Note, a broody hen needs to sit on something for about 3 weeks before you give her any chicks to raise. Fake eggs or golf balls work fine for her to sit on. Then get a young chick, and tuck it under her at night so she & the chick can cluck/peep at each other all night long and start to get acquainted. It often works, but is not 100% guaranteed.)

Unfortunately another restriction we have is that hens have to be at least 16 weeks old, I assume to ensure correct sexing. My kids would be all over hatching some eggs, otherwise! Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[Kiki]

We lost a chicken unexpectedly over the weekend and are now debating whether or not to add to the flock at some point in the near-ish future. Being in the 'burbs we're limited by bylaws to four hens only, so we'd be adding one hen. What feedback can you give me on the thoughts I already have? What are some other things we need to be considering?

*we do have the space for more chickens in the run and the coop--no issue with overcrowding
*since we're going to be moving it all anyway, should we move the coop and run at the same time as we introduce a new hen (post-quarantine)?
*our current three hens are all around a year old, so we're thinking 6-12 months old for the new addition.
*is it better to add a hen sooner or later to a flock this small? At this point we're looking to start the process in a month or so.
*what are some good breeds to consider for low broodiness, good temperament, and solid laying? We currently have a hybrid brown layer (Gold Star, iirc), an Australorp, and a Pearl White Leghorn. The GS is bossy and the PWL is very flighty. The kids like to track which hens are laying (and frankly, so do I--one more way to see what's going on out there) so an Easter Egger or Olive Egger would be nice, or something else that would lay a not-white, not-light-brown egg.
*the GS and A are pretty easily handled, so I could pull them out of the permanent run into a separate-but-attached area to give a newbie some space to explore the permanent structures. The PWL would follow her sisters, although she may need a little help.

Do you know why/how you lost the hen?

 

[Kaye Pek]

Let your birds out into the yard, and let the new one locked in the set up. Let the old ones in as close to dark as you can. You can try letting them roost together, or put the new one in a cage. Rinse repeat for a couple of days.

Add one of the old chickens (the middle one if you can) to the new chicken. Might be a dust up, but probably not much. Rinse, repeat. This is introducing 1 to 1, not 3 to 1. Much better.

Then let all of them out into the yard, rather late in the day. I would expect them all to roost up together.

Have multiple feed bowls, and hideouts in the run.

Mrs K

Dumb question, but when you say “or put the new one in a cage”, should that be in the coop or out of it?