can chickens get separation anxiety?

[sixxchixx]

heres the scoop.

this is my first year raising chickens... and I LOOOOVE ITTTTTT!!!! but one of my "pullets" turned out to be a roo. hes about 24 weeks old and cockle-doodle-dooing all the time (3am forward) I love the sound but my neighbor is complaining (it is kind of right in her bedroom window). I have put adds out on craigslist and BYC auction (free to good home) but im worried about separating him from his sisters... one little girl in particular follows him around and snuggles up to him every night. I have heard the they get lonely for their friends and can go into a depression.

The reason I ask is because my mother in law offered to take ALL of them (she lives 2 houses down from me) I would still be able to see them everyday (and have the financial pleasure of feeding them too) but i wouldn't have to separate them from eachother. what do Y'all think?

dont worry about it because roos/chickens are fine when moved to a new flock? or surrender all 6 to my DH's mom? my 24 month olds arent even laying yet... I would miss the best part...

i feel selfish...

 

[turbo13]

HI I had the same problem. My EE roo started to crow at about 20 wks. He was very close with his EE pullet. I was lucky, my vet took him for me. Now he lives on a farm with 25 hens. His left behind girlfriend seemed lost for about a week,always calling and looking for him.But after that she was fine.Now I'm her roo.all is well.You might try the same thing and ask at the vets office.I was surprised. 2 drs.there wanted him.Good luck

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I wouldn't get rid of my chickens for the sake of a roo!!!!

 

[Imp]

I've never had to give away a chicken. But in the case one died, the others did seem lost for a few days. Then back to normal.
I wouldn't give up your hens unless you want to. You are not being selfish.

Imp

 

[MissJenny]

You might also call your county extension agent and see if there are any "chicken 4-H clubs". A 4-H might want your roo as a project bird. That would be an excellent situation.

I had a similar situation with a beautiful gold-laced cochin pullet who crowed. His best friend was a pretty pretty cochin pullet who I thought for sure would be lost without him. She got over it so fast. He ended up going to a farm where the owner wanted to breed her silkies to a cochin, so this was a real good situation for him.

What I did was charge an "adoption fee" of $10. My thinking was that no one would pay $10 for a soup chicken. When you've listed on Craigslist did you include a photo? I think that always helps.

Good luck -- I hope you find him a good home -- we get so attached.

Jenny

 

[sixxchixx]

thanks guys! that makes me feel better. I think this is just DH's way of getting his way and getting rid of the chickens and getting his yard back. It all kind of happened so fast. one moment the neighbor said the roo has to go and the next MIL is over saying she'd take 'em all. (I think it was either preplanned or a kind of super alignment of the stars for DH)

ill keep looking for a good home for him.

 

[sourland]

Get rid of the rooster and keep your pullets. They will be fine.

(Sorry to your husband who wants his yard back.)