Hen Solo (all jokes aside, question about a solo hen.)

[Cristyloks]

How long is it okay to have a hen be solo? Long sordid story - we were down to 2 hens with intentions of adding chicks. Before we got a chance to do that, a predator took one hen from us. I took young hen off a friend to keep my last original hen company until chicks were big enough to integrate. Sadly then my original hen became ill and passed away today. We never even got the two hens fully integrated - they had been visible to each other but separate and the little hen has been alone in the coop for a week while we've tried to treat our original hen.

Our chicks are only 4-5 weeks currently. That means another month or so (I assume) before we can put them out in the coop and begin integrating with our bonus solo hen. Will she be okay alone for that long? Considering she hasn't had a true flock for a couple few weeks already?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have integrated chicks at 4 weeks. It all depends if they are done with heat or if you can use the heat source in the coop.

 

[Yardmom]

Place the chicks where she can see them, but not touch. If she seems calm create a hole where chicks can go in and out but the hen can't. If that is not possible put clutter, so the chicks can hide from the hen if needed. It might not take long before she tolerates the chicks in her space.

 

[Cristyloks]

Chicks at this time do still seem to want to sleep near the heater plate, but also freely roam away from it during the day. We are currently trying to make upgrades to our run (note earlier predator attack) and may need a couple weeks to get that complete (easier to do with just one chicken out there at the moment.) Once that's done I hope to move their brooder pen out to the (fully secure when done) run and start integrating from there, but constant rain is making it a challenge to get work done!

Would it be wise to try and find a chicken close to my solo hen's age to integrate more immediately? She's pretty young herself..not quite to laying age but should be very soon.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally would not add any adult birds at this time as they can bring in illnesses that your current birds aren't immune to. As long as your hen can hear or see the chicks she will be fine.

 

[Cristyloks]

I personally would not add any adult birds at this time as they can bring in illnesses that your current birds aren't immune to. As long as your hen can hear or see the chicks she will be fine.

Yeah currently she can't as they're in my basement (had one chicken outdoors, one in the garage isolated for a week and chicks in our basement currently... It's been wild lol.)

We're in a predicament of sorts with the updates we're making to the coop and run. Only one coop, so no way to separate chicks from chicken at night and run is not secure enough at this time to leave chicks in there overnight.

One possibility would be to put everyone in the garage separated until coop changes are complete but it doesn't seem ideal for everyone, unless you think proximity to the chicks could trump being outdoors for our young hen right now?

This has all been a journey this past month with literally nothing going to plan. I feel like I'm playing musical chickens!!

 

[Cristyloks]

Just thinking out loud to myself that it could be possible to have chicks separated in the run during the day when able and just return them to their pen for overnight until things are ready but that won't be easy either with needing to actually work on the run and if course moving them to and fro could be stressful (on both of us! Lol)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always put mine out during the day and than back to the brooder at night during the start of integration. I use a 5 gallon bucket to transport them. Suctioning off the run and doing this will get the process of integration going while you finish your changes.

 

[Yardmom]

If you're not up to the transport idea, your single hen will be fine for a couple weeks. I know with chicks a mirror helps. I wonder if it would help your hen.

 

[Cristyloks]

If you're not up to the transport idea, your single hen will be fine for a couple weeks. I know with chicks a mirror helps. I wonder if it would help your hen.

This is a good idea and not one I'd thought of! I'll find her a mirror!