Give me advice on how to introduce a new hen to my other hen...

[ronmybaby]

I lost my White Polish hen that was killed yesterday I think by a roaming dog in rural neighborhood. She was like my little baby I loved my pet chicken so much. Wednesday I am going to buy another one like her, hopefully only about a year old hen to introduce her to my other hen. These two hens I had were like Mutt and Jeff. They were best buddies. The other hen, a brown Cochin, is older she's about 4 yrs old now. So I want to get another hen younger than her. Should I introduce the new one into the cage late in the day?? Do you think it will be ok the next day to let them both be together in the yard - will the new hen just know to come back to the cage she spent only one night in??

Give me some advice on the introducing of the new hen to my current hen.

I'm gonna have to invest alot of money into a fence to cover the whole front area of my property JUST because others let their dogs run wild. I hate that. I just haven't had the money to get a fence. I'm lookin' at 7 long acres of fencing. So that is why. I could just keep them both in the cage but they love to run free around the area around the house. You would think they would be safe I mean it's my yard. I am very aware of watching them = this happened like in minutes at the back porch when my white hen was killed. I didn't see it I walked out the back door and there she was laying flat dead.

 

[chicmom]

Hello, what about just fencing a portion of your back yard, like say, half an acre? That would be enough to protect you hens.....Anyhow, to the question....Introductions can be tricky with adult chickens, because they're very territorial. So it's a good idea to let them see eachother, but not touch eachother for a few days. Like, keeping the new chicken in a cage inside the coop so that your older hen can get used to seeing her first. Also, keep your new hen inside the coop (does it have an attached run?) or run for about a week before letting her free range. Otherwise she won't know this is home yet and may just stray away.

There may be some scuffling once you let them be together, because your older chicken may want to show her she is the boss of her space......This is upsetting sometimes, and do keep an eye out to make sure neither hen gets injured, but usually they will iron out their differences in a week or so.......Maybe even a few hours.....It's really hard to tell.

One thing that's a good idea, is, if you can, clean out your coop, re-arrange things, and put something new in there for them to eat (a delicious snack), and then let them loose with eachother. The chickens will feel like they're both newbies in a new coop. Sometimes that helps.

Good luck, and sorry for your loss!

Sharon

 

[packmomma]

Sorry for your loss. I lost my favorite chicken to a couple of neighbor dogs a few months ago. Its a horrible thing. You might have better luck then I did. I have 10 chickens and actually tried to integrate a hen I rescued from a dog attack at my friends house about two weeks after mine were killed. She is almost fully feathered out again but it was 10 against 1. Your chicken will likely go through a mourning time. She may replace her friend with the one you buy or really hate her because its not her friend. Hard to tell. I would go with the advice above and keep them separated for a few days with some fencing then rearrange the coop a bit, the best you can and then try putting them together. I have found my chickens mourn at least a week, sometimes two. Its worse if they see the attack. You will know when she is out of mourning. While she is in she wont be herself, might be quiet and not as active, maybe quit laying for a few days...it varies. Good luck.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

If I were going to get another hen, I would get two.. Your 4yr old Cochin might not be around too much longer and you will be left w/ a lone hen again.. I would get two this time. Separate the coop/run for a few weeks until they can get used to each other then let them free range together then you can gradually let them have more time together--watch them until they seen ok... Good luck..

 

[Crumbling Beauty]

I'm so sorry about your polish; I would be heartbroken.

As far as introducing a new hen goes, we had very good luck with a divided sleeping area (chicken wire, cut to fit around the roosting bar, and tacked up to the walls, casually, with staples). During the day I kept the new hen in a tractor that was pushed right up to the hardware cloth portion of our large coop. After a couple of days the chickens were fine ranging around the yard together, but we found that they needed to get familiar with one another (a week plus or minus) before they were perfect friends in close quarters. Some might not want to spend that much energy acclimating a new hen, but I can't stand to see feathers being plucked, so. . . . Ours were cochins--a banty (the new girl at the time) and a LF.

If you do get two hens, as someone suggested, I think there will be trouble for your hen, if the two new girls already know one another.

Good luck

.

 

[7L Farm]

I have 10 RIR hens & 1 RIR cock. A friend was down to only having 1 dominique pullet. I opened up my mouth & told him that I would take the pullet. I bring her home & slipped her on the roost one night. Next am the reds were pecking at her, running her off etc. I caged the pullet & put her in the coop & every nite I'd put her on the roost. I did this for a while. Now its been well over a month . The roo really likes her so he is always taking care of her. The only problem is in the am they won't let her off the roost. I have to bring her a bowl of water & a bowl of food. Then I let them out every morning at 9 to free range. She is not being hurt & seems happy & she lays everyday. Its been hard to get them to accept her but I'm not giving up. I think they will eventually accept her. It's hard to introduce just one pullet of a different color to 10 hens. I definately will never do this again. She is my favorite though. I like her courage & she always comes running to me when she sees me.