Depressed chicken ?

[lfb42]

Hi all,

Wondered if I could get some advice please, I had 2 silkie chickens and one past away recently, the other is now always staying in the coop and hardly comes out at all, I worried she's depressed losing the other, is this normal behaviour ? I would like to get another to keep her company but not sure how introducing a young one would be for her ?

 

[Pork Pie]

As social animals, chickens need flockmates. Getting an adult hen would be preferable, but if young birds are your only option, the I'd suggest getting 2-3.

These links may help
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1126547/topic-of-the-week-integrating-chicks-into-an-adult-flock

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1069595/introducing-chicks-to-adults#post_16276224

 

[User395221]

How long has it been since the other died and do you know what from? I'd just be concerned that your remaining girl doesn't have an illness before getting her some new friends.

 

[lfb42]

She died suddenly and really not sure how, she was only 4, she didn't lose her appitite, always made sure coop was clean and mite free, she died 10 days ago, the other chicken will come out to eat etc every now and then but majority of the day just lay in her coop, I thought she was laying on an egg to begin with but realised she wasn't

 

[lfb42]

And many thanks for the links

 

[dfalco]

While it seems logical that she is lonely, could she be broody? Just staying on her nest?

 

[MAchicken105]

I had the same issue, I had a group of 3 chicks that I raised together and a separate group of 4 chicks raised together.

Out of the group of 3 one was a rooster that I had to rehome and 2 days after he was rehomed my second chick mysteriously died, leaving justbthe one chick with no group even though she was still with the group of 4...but they always stayed separated for the most part.

When that group of 3 went down to just the one chick(14 weeks old) she was devastated. She cried and cried and searched and searched for her friends. It was very upsetting to watch. A few days later I went back to the breeder to replace the 2 I had lost and came back with 3...not sure if this has anything to do with it but I purchased 2 of the same color and breed that were the same color and breed as the chick that passed away.

Even though these new chicks were several weeks younger the older hen(and the head hen of the other group of 4) she fell instantly in love with them. She now is in her new clique of 4. Still the boss hen and keeps the younger ones safe from the other group of 4.

So not sure if this was just a fluke but all 8 are living comfortably, happy and have had zero issues and it's now been 3 weeks.

Maybe try and replace the lost hen with a few more similar ones?

 

[lfb42]

I did think is she broody just seems strange how she's gone like this since the other one passed and she's not laying on an egg either ?

I'm currently looking to replace the other and get a companion for the current one but I don't have anything to Seperate them, if I got an adult could I introduce straight away without separating or could I just buy a young'un and they would get along fine ?