Flock of one.

[Neolones]

I hope someone can give me a little advice. I had Mareks outbreak in my flock, and it killed 4 out of 5 birds. Now I have a lone bird. Now i know chickens are a lot happier if they have company so i am wanting to introduce a new friend to the remaining hen. I'm just not too sure how to go about it. There is a lot of advice for introducing one or two hens to a larger flock however im not too sure if this is applicable to a flock of one. Do I get 2 more and hope that my existing chicken can't focus all the pecking order aggression on one - or am i better off getting just the one hen and hope for the best. I have devided the coop in two, so they will see each other but wont be able to interact until 1 week. Veterinary cleared us on getting more birds, as long they are vaccinated. That is what we will be doing.

 

[DustyDivas]

I had one pullet left after a fox attack last year. I got two more similar sized pullets to rebuild the flock; you need more than one as your current survivor has home advantage (she will dominate/bully any newcomers).
On hindsight, I would have got 3 or even 4 new hens rather than the 2... would have spread out the pecking order dominance from my original hen.

After all the pecking order bullying (very hard to watch!) they have become a very happy little unit

Good luck

 

[aart]

I had Mareks outbreak in my flock

Was Mareks confirmed by necropsy and labs?

Veterinary cleared us on getting more birds, as long they are vaccinated.

So you have to get chicks, right?
Think they have to be vaccinated as day olds?

 

[Neolones]

Was Mareks confirmed by necropsy and labs?


So you have to get chicks, right?
Think they have to be vaccinated as day olds?

Yes, I had two of the dead birds get necropsies and I also did DNA tissue samples to confirm Marerks.
They don't have to be chicks, they can be grown pullets if they are vaccinated.

 

[aart]

They don't have to be chicks, they can be grown pullets if they are vaccinated

Right, but they have to have been vaccinated at a day old.
Might be hard to find older birds that you are confident have been vaccinated.
Do you have a good source for that?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I agree i think it may be hard to find older birds you can be positive were vaccinated as day old chicks. I ocassionally order direct from hatcheries, but none of them have ever been vaccinated since i dont have Mareks in my flock. And chicks from feedstores are almost never vaccinated. You will need to really trust your source if u decide to go with older birds. Otherwise there may be more losses in your future as new additions also succumb. Are you opposed to getting vaccinated chicks direct from hatchery? If u do that, you can be sure they are vaccinated, pick the specific breeds you want, & watch the cute little fluffs quickly grow up to be companions for your lonely hen. But if you Do know someone with older vaccinated birds, that will of course be your fastest route to fresh eggs daily. Update us and let us know what you decide.

 

[DustyDivas]

I had one pullet left after a fox attack last year. I got two more similar sized pullets to rebuild the flock; you need more than one as your current survivor has home advantage (she will dominate/bully any newcomers).
On hindsight, I would have got 3 or even 4 new hens rather than the 2... would have spread out the pecking order dominance from my original hen.

After all the pecking order bullying (very hard to watch!) they have become a very happy little unit

Good luck

Yeah, probably different in USA... I am in UK so was able to get fully vacinated POL pullets easily. Probably best following the US experienced chicken keepers advice

 

[MROO]

Right, but they have to have been vaccinated at a day old.
Might be hard to find older birds that you are confident have been vaccinated.
Do you have a good source for that?

Many hatcheries offer started pullets. It's an expensive option, but wouldn't they be vaccinated? It would be worth asking.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I didnt notice you were in uk. You are right things are very different between u.s. and uk. Here in u.s. i tried to locate some ex-battery hens to provide a good home to. Seems they are only available direct from commercial farms in the u.k., not the u.s. Hope u can soon find some vaccinated pullets to keep your lonely hen company.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Was Mareks confirmed by necropsy and labs?


So you have to get chicks, right?
Think they have to be vaccinated as day olds?

Got my juvenile chicks from hatchery and they were vaccinated for Marek's already. Sorry about your flock that must have been hard.