Introducing into a flock of 1

[paigemc]

Hi All! I have a question about introductions with smaller numbers. We had 2 chickens, an Ameraucauna and a PBR. The PBR died suddenly about 2 weeks ago so now we only have 1. We "borrowed" a PBR from a friend hoping my kids wouldn't notice (death upsets my oldest son since we lost our dog). The kids haven't noticed.....but the Ameraucauna is unhappy. She was a finicky layer before but now she doesn't lay all. She just spends her days trying to find ways out of the coop.

Here's my main question.....we have 3 new chicks that are 4 weeks. I'm wondering if we send back the borrowed PBR if it will be easier to introduce the 3 new chicks to the 1 older chicken when the time comes. She is very mellow(more pet-like) which is why she isn't getting along with the new PBR. She was raised with the previous one so she dealt with the bossiness I suppose.

Its really sort of backwards I guess. The 3 chicks will be a flock and the Ameraucauna will be introduced into them. But its her coop. Maybe that doesn't matter.

Just looking for ideas....one way or another it has happen.

Thanks, I appreciate your input!!!!

 

[Dutchess]

Just last week I introduced 7- 4week olds to a lone hen SLW that survived the fox attack.
She's not really happy about these peeping little chicks running around her coop and run, but she seems to be tolerating them.
At first she "charged" them and I thought, oh great, she's gonna hurt them! She stopped after the charge (I yelled at her, I couldn't help it!

) and pecked a couple of them, they cried out but not anything that lasted, just one loud PEEP! Then she was done.
The only problem since the introduction is her vocalizing. Man, she is loud! BAWWK BAWWK BAWWK anytime we go outside and when we come home or basically anytime she thinks we can hear her!