Fox has stolen my flock

[Wendo]

My hens have had a great free-ranging diet along with laying pellets and healthy scraps. The down side to free ranging several acres is that a fox has snatched them all except one (in broad daylight!!!). Now my one hen is confined to the pen and coup. She is still laying but is not happy. Her comb is getting pale and I don't think she is getting a balanced diet. I saw several postings about making your own feed but I only have one laying hen left. What is the most important diet/feed change I need to make? She's a Rhode Island Red.

 

[N F C]

Hi,

Sorry for the loss of your birds. For the one remaining, is it possible she is lonely? Chickens are social creatures and need to have company. And since you can't let her fee-range any more due to predators, does she have a run where she can get outside into a protected area for some exercise? We can't have our girls free-range because of hawks, dogs, raccoons, etc. in our area so to give them some type of grassy supplement to their feed, I grow flats of grass for them to munch on (they love it).

 

[Irishhenman]

Hens are flock animals, she is lonely. I would get at least 1 more hen (adult) to keep her company. The problem is not her diet. Imagine how happy you would be if you were on your own all the time. If you want you could give some mealworms to them to substitute the insects they would have gotten while free ranging.

 

[Wendo]

Thank you. I love that idea. We have a pen around the coop but it is now just dirt., which wasn't a problem because I always let them out. Since my post I have added 3 pullets. I thought she would enjoy the company but they are still adjusting.....

 

[Wendo]

Thank you, I will try that.