all but one chicken killed

[cobrien]

PS, if she's not doing well in her new home, then you both have nothing to lose by bringing her back except for possible disease introduction. That is your call - you could quarantine her away from your new ones for 30 days to be on the safe side.

 

[sandykopandy]

Thanks. Well, here's an update: I got an email from her new foster mother explaining that in spite of introducing her according to all of the books' suggestions, her chickens were quite aggressive. Ours (Gizmos is her name) was very sweet and not at all picking a fight (maternal pride- my kid is so good!

). My friend had had them separated with fencing and had to put up another fence because hers were reaching through and pecking at Gizmos. She took the day off of work- that's how concerned she was. She said that even though she had read that sometimes it takes time, she didn't see the situation promising to improve. I of course did the rational thing: I left work immediately and sped across town to pick up Gizmos.

So... now I have her back and I know this is selfish, but I'm happy. She is better off safe alone for the time being. But here are my thoughts: What if I were to get two new chicks the same breeds as her previous flockmates. Once they are feathered, it seems like she would welcome the company and maybe even think that they were her previous sisters. Am I thinking too much like a human? I don't want to keep putting her in other people's flocks and traumatizing her with one failure after another. It seems like she could start getting a bad attitude and become aggressive herself. If I got two and it didn't work out, I could then try to integrate her and keep the other two. Does this make sense or am I being emotionally irrational? Be honest.

 

[carrlr]

So sorry for your loss.

I would get new chicks as soon as you can. I believe you should keep at least two of any one breed. So perhaps you could get at least one of the same breed as your lone hen. As far as integrating her back in, I would quarantine her for 30 days even though she was part of your initial flock. She's been around other chickens that could potentially be carriers and you don't want to bring them to your new chicks. As long as your new chicks are large enough, bringing her back shouldn't be a problem. Keep in mind she might not necessarily be in the same pecking order as before. Best of luck to you.

 

[colebarnhart]

I had a similar situation happen. Had 4, lost 3, then got 9 babies, kept them in the brooder until they were feathered up, then put them in the coop. The one remaining adult chicken that I still had, was the most shy & docile of the 4, when there were 4. At first when they were all together, she was kind of a bully and would peck on the top of little ones heads, however, they weren't brand new babies and they had some growth on them, but still a lot smaller and they would squawk and run away from her and they had plenty of room. Then I isolated her and then brought her back in and she still did it, but not as much, now after several weeks, she only does it a very minimal amount and I can tell that as the new ones get bigger, she will probably give up the top rank, because she was always very passive and already showing signs that she's not the alpha type. At this point it seems that she really likes the company and happy with the others and not alone anymore.

So to answer your question, yes it can be done. But as others have said, just be careful and it depends on lots of variables, type of bird you have, type and age that your adding, personality of the hen that you have left, size of the coop/run, amount of feeders and waterers available, things inside your coop/run to distract them, etc.

 

[ReikiStar]

So glad to hear Gizmo is home. Really, don't worry about this too much. First, make sure she didn't bring any "boogers" home with her (30 day quarantine from the chicks). Raise your chicks, let them see each other through a screen or mesh after her quarantine. Once they are old enough, I don't think it will be a problem to introduce them.

1) She'll welcome the company.

2) Just make sure the chicks are of a good size and age that they can live outside and have room to get away from Gizmo if she starts throwing her weight around. Chicks starting figuring out a pecking order at 6 weeks, but I'd probably wait until they were closer to 10 weeks. That way they are a decent enough size but still figuring this whole 'pecking order, being a chicken' thing out.

If Gizmo went to your friend's house and put everyone in their place, then I'd be worried. That she's been at the bottom of the order, she's unlikely to unleash holy terror on the new guys. Being Alpha will be new for her, so hopefully she'll be a fair and just leader.

I'm so sorry you lost the others.

I would have snapped that dog in half! I'm convinced chickens are among the greatest pets. I've seen SO many people who thought they were stupid and only good for eating grow to see how brilliant, friendly, intelligent, affectionate

and wonderful

chickens are.

Enjoy the new babies!

 

[fifenashia]

Glad that Gizmos home!

Keep us updated!

FYI: My Red has adjusted fairly well to being an only chicken. They are so resilient!

 

[Mrs. K]

Instead of getting chicks, think about getting a point of lay hens. They are bigger, and will become a flock quicker. Chickens will not remember other chickens for any great time period. So getting what you had before is not an advantage, unless it is a kind you like.

Mixing a hen and chicks is a tough and miserable situation for months, until the chicks become hen size, if they live that long.

MrsK

 

[fifenashia]

Mrs. K :

Instead of getting chicks, think about getting a point of lay hens. They are bigger, and will become a flock quicker. Chickens will not remember other chickens for any great time period. So getting what you had before is not an advantage, unless it is a kind you like.

Mixing a hen and chicks is a tough and miserable situation for months, until the chicks become hen size, if they live that long.

MrsK

We went ahead and got chicks for the process of healing us as well as her. The process of having new babies and new ones to bond with/care for has an immense therapeutic benefit. At least it has for us. I know the babies won't be ready for a while to go out there, but in the meantime I am spending more QT with her which is improving her friendliess as well.

We debated getting older hens to build the flock quickly, but I really enjoy the process of raising them. You need to do what works for you and your family.​

 

[pixiedouglas]

I don't know about your local CL, but here is what mine looks like...

hen hen hen laying hen 1-2 year old hen i have too many hens want to sell hen hen hen hen hen

Fluffybutts are the best, but another option to consider is getting a couple of adult hens. Integration goes best when chickens are the same size. If you start out with day old chicks your surviving hen will be alone for a long time before they get big enough to put together. Do you have a way to house them seperately once they outgrow their brooder box? Most chicks can go outside by the time they're 5-7 weeks old depending on your weather and how feathered they are. Keeping them in your house longer than that can make a big mess and gets to be a headache, but they'll be too small to be alone with an adult hen for much longer than that.

This time of year lots of people want to rehome some of their "excess" hens so they can get new chicks or keep some of the new chicks their hens have reared. My neighbor gets a lot of her egg layers this way and her flock is beautiful. She hasn't had baby chicks in seven years. If you foster your hen at your friends house by the time your new chicks are old enough to be with her she'll likely have integrated to the new flock. I would consider if it might be pretty stressful, maybe even a tiny bit cruel, to take her away from her "new" flock at that point.

But, I would hate for you to have to say goodbye to your lonely survivor. I too am very attached to my birds.

Consider taking in a couple of hens. Do you have other friends in the area that keep chickens? Maybe the friend who offered to foster has hens she would part with or knows someone who might want to part with a couple hens. A person with a reasonably large flock and a good heart shouldn't miss 2 hens.

Good luck whatever you decide, and I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[ninabeast]

At the risk of hijacking...

I'm so sorry to hear what you went through. I have my first flock (5.5 weeks old) and I dread reading these of scenarios on BYC, especially now that my chicks have moved to their coop. Good luck with the new peeps.

I got a roo in my 12 sexed pullets. He's still with us until he is rehomed with a neighbour who needs a roo.

All was well until last week, when he began to be quite aggressive with my favourite girl, more than just the usual horseplay and jockeying for position. This was, clearly, not to be borne. Using the theory that chickens hate water as much as cats do, I brought the spritz bottle I use for my plants and kept it by my side. When his behaviour became "above and beyond", I gave him a little spritz. He did not like it one bit! It definitely provided a pattern interrupt, and I have to say that, after a few spritzes, I have seen a noticeable decline in his aggression, at least in my presence.