Chicken with no flockmates depressed. Is it ok to just introduce one chicken?

[Zagreus]

Apologies if this is the wrong forum to post this in.

A few weeks ago a dog got into my yard and killed 2/3 of my pet hens. The remaining hen has been in a depressive state ever since; she used to be an active, happy hen but now just sort of sits in the corner of the yard hiding all day and no longer responds to her name or forages much. She's scared of people so I can't interact with her at all without just making it worse.

I want to get her friends because I think a lot of the issue is that she's just too scared to be out in the open without the safety of a flock. However, my dad will only allow me to get one more chicken. I think that this might not be a good idea because she can be pretty aggressive sometimes and i'm worried taking a single hen from an established flock and putting it with an unfamiliar hen would just lead to 2 isolated, sad chickens. But I've also never introduced adult chickens, so this is just a guess and I have no idea what other people's experiences doing this are.

If I can only get one chicken, is that likely better for her than none? Or should I just leave her by herself?

 

[staceyj]

Hi.
Welcome to BYC.
I'm sorry for your loss.
And I'm sorry for your lonely hen.
Some people say a mirror helps and that new birds should be isolated before integration but I'd be tempted to see if there's anyone in your area willing to part with 1 bird because of your circumstances.
I don't know where you're located because it isn't in your profile ( just a general locale is good when you get a chance) and join your state thread here too!
You might want to put an add on Craigslist in the pets AND farm and garden sections and see if anyone responds.

 

[lazy gardener]

You had 3 birds before. Is there a reason why your Dad does not want you to have 3 again? Is there a space issue, or perhaps financial constraints re: buying feed for 3 instead of 2 chickens? If there are no such issues, I would recommend that you get 2 birds instead of 1. The biggest reason is that eventually, one of your birds will die. When that happens, you will still have 2 birds left, instead of again being left with only one. If your Dad can verbalize why he does not want you to get 2 birds, that will help you. However, the bottom line is this: You are under your Dad's authority. Your maturity will be measured by how well you accept and abide by his decisions. This will have future bearing on future freedoms and opportunities you have.

 

[staceyj]

You had 3 birds before. Is there a reason why your Dad does not want you to have 3 again? Is there a space issue, or perhaps financial constraints re: buying feed for 3 instead of 2 chickens? If there are no such issues, I would recommend that you get 2 birds instead of 1. The biggest reason is that eventually, one of your birds will die. When that happens, you will still have 2 birds left, instead of again being left with only one. If your Dad can verbalize why he does not want you to get 2 birds, that will help you. However, the bottom line is this: You are under your Dad's authority. Your maturity will be measured by how well you accept and abide by his decisions. This will have future bearing on future freedoms and opportunities you have.

I do agree with @lazy gardener , somehow I missed the sentence that said dad.
Try to talk to him but if he says no, be respectful. Maybe if you show respect he'll reconsider.

 

[Zagreus]

You had 3 birds before. Is there a reason why your Dad does not want you to have 3 again? Is there a space issue, or perhaps financial constraints re: buying feed for 3 instead of 2 chickens? If there are no such issues, I would recommend that you get 2 birds instead of 1. The biggest reason is that eventually, one of your birds will die. When that happens, you will still have 2 birds left, instead of again being left with only one. If your Dad can verbalize why he does not want you to get 2 birds, that will help you. However, the bottom line is this: You are under your Dad's authority. Your maturity will be measured by how well you accept and abide by his decisions. This will have future bearing on future freedoms and opportunities you have.

There isn't any issue that I'm aware of, as far as I know he just thinks two birds is less work than three. I personally don't think it is because I'm still doing roughly the same amount of work with one bird than I was with three, but I don't really wanna argue about it.

Just to clarify I'm not actually "under his authority" in the way a child is, I'm a college student and pay rent to my father because it's financially the best and closest place of living. He doesn't have any say in what I'm allowed to do beyond stuff that effects the house (like what animals are allowed) So this is more of a "landlord only allows 1 more" than anything in this situation, but probably more negotiable because it's my dad? hope that clears the situation up a bit.

 

[lazy gardener]

Still... his house, his rules. Work it out with him.

 

[Zagreus]

Hi.
Welcome to BYC.
I'm sorry for your loss.
And I'm sorry for your lonely hen.
Some people say a mirror helps and that new birds should be isolated before integration but I'd be tempted to see if there's anyone in your area willing to part with 1 bird because of your circumstances.
I don't know where you're located because it isn't in your profile ( just a general locale is good when you get a chance) and join your state thread here too!
You might want to put an add on Craigslist in the pets AND farm and garden sections and see if anyone responds.

I can afford to get another chicken I'm just worried my current hen won't take to a single intruder

Still... his house, his rules. Work it out with him.

well, yeah, I know that. I'm just wondering if it's better to get one chicken or no chickens if you have an aggressive but lonely hen and can't get more than one friend for her

 

[we3ernes]

I have no experience with this, but I would say that one friend would be better than none. Chickens just aren’t meant to live alone. Good luck with the integration process!

 

[Mrs. K]

Really a single addition is difficult, because most people are trying to add a single hen to several, all of which know this is a stranger, all willing to get their pecks in.

However, with a one on one, a lot of the problem is gone. If you have a single cage such as a dog carrier. I would bring home a similar size bird, put the new bird in your current set up at dark, and pull your original bird into the carrier. Set it up, so that they can see each other but not get at each other. This will allow the new bird to look around the set up, with out getting attacked. Feed along the fence line. That night put both in the coop on the roost, and hang out around them the next day. Only interfering if there is blood, but I would be surprised if there was. A few skirmishes yes, but it should settle quite quickly.

Go to the feed store, and put up a notice, ask at the extension office, or the local poultry club. Someone will more than likely have something they will part with. Generally it could be an older hen, so that this would be a short term situation. IMO, chickens are rather short term, so one should add and subtract yearly.

DO NOT take anything you are sorry for, some might worry about quarantine, but I would not if you are only risking one hen.

Good luck, Mrs K

 

[lazy gardener]