Introducing baby chicks to lonely hen

[icanhazchikn]

In the spring I had three of my original eight hens left. We got brave and let them free range outside of the chicken tractor, and they'd be out all day while I was at home or work, then I'd put them back in at dark. Closer to summer, I was out mowing and a coyote was running as fast as it could in my backyard towards a chicken. I drove it off, pulled her out of a bush where she was cowering and got her in the tractor.

I only found piles of feathers where the other two chickens were killed, and our hen has been lonely ever since. She also hasn't laid a single egg since the attack and I'm assuming she never will again, even though she hadn't even been laying eggs for more than a year. We feel really bad since she is in the tractor all the time now, and has been for a few months. We visit, come down and let her free range a little with supervision. We saw at Tractor Supply that they have baby chicks in again, and I was thinking it would be fun to get some baby chicks and they could be raised in the tractor with the hen.

I saw where people created safe spaces with kennels to prevent bullying, with separate food and water inside it for them and with the door wedged so the hen can't get in. Are there any other issues that I need to worry about? I would think she'd be happy just to have other chickens again and wouldn't try to hurt the chicks, but this is still my first time raising chickens. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I too believe she would be happier with chicken buddies, no matter how small. It should be ok after she gets through the first couple days of shock. I've even had a lone cockerel adopt baby chicks and mother them.
I would probably build a small platform the chicks can run under and the hen can't, then just put them together.
I believe she will eventually lay again. I had a dog attack one run of chickens and I didn't get another egg from the 10 hens for two months.
During this time, don't feed her layer feed. She doesn't need the calcium while she isn't building shells.
Go with a starter feed for all of them till you get an egg, Then offer oyster shell in a separate container for the hen.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens hate change, so go for it all at once. Add the safety zone, so that chicks can go in and out. What was described above is a good idea, I use lattice panels with very young chicks. What you want to make sure of, is that you don't build a trap, where a chick can get stuck and be at the mercy of that hen. And you do want feed and water where the old girl cannot get too.

And I would get 8 chicks, the more the merrier, it is rather easy for one hen to get mean to one or two chicks, but with 8, there is only so much chasing a bird can do.

When you bring them home, let the old girl out of the set up. Put the new chicks in the set up, let them explore a bit in peace. Go in there yourself or stick a stick in there to chase them a bit, herding them too the safe zone. Once they get there, wait until they come out, let them be, and then chase them again. They will catch on quick.

Just before dark, let the big girl in. And then put the babies to bed, in a wooly hen, and get out there early the next morning.

Mrs K

 

[icanhazchikn]

Thank you both for your replies, I'll definitely give this all a try!

Dave

 

[CannedMonster]

Let us know how it goes!
Pictures are always appreciated too.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Thank you both for your replies, I'll definitely give this all a try!

Dave

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[icanhazchikn]

Thank you to everyone, we picked up some salmon faverolles and Silver laced wyandotte pullets, 4 of each so that we'd have 8. I let our older chicken out to free range and followed the advice. I made them a safe space, put their food and water under it and got them used to going into it, as well as set up a heat lamp for them. We haven't tried to raise them from so young before, we usually got 8-10 week old hens.

After that, we put our older hen in and she was curious about them but mainly tried to eat their food. She hasn't bothered them at all other than that, and it's been a few days now. So far everyone is happy and doing well, just hoping to keep it that way. I've given her more outside time and give the chicks some attention as well.

Thanks again!

 

[Mrs. K]

I think those safe places that allow chicks to venture forth and retreat work slicker than anything else! I would say you are good to go. If there is going to be a disaster, it is generally right away.