Introducing new chicken to lone chicken?

ChiffonCake

In the Brooder
Sep 6, 2020
30
16
31
Hey everyone,

for a long while, I’ve kept two chickens (one roo and one hen) and even though I knew it was a bad idea to keep a roo with only one hen, I felt attached and couldn’t give him away. I’ve finally decided to give him away to my grandma (she’ll do the deed) as he has become extremely aggressive towards me and the hen and now I’ve only a hen. Because we don’t have a lot of space and don’t plan on raising chickens for eggs but for ornamental purposes only, I’m planning on getting another chicken to keep her company (which I hope will be okay). How do I go about introducing a chicken to another chicken? I’ve only read where more than one chicken is introduce to a flock. How should I proceed?
 
The reason you usually aren't supposed to introduce only one, is because your flock is usually larger than one, and you don't want several hens to mob a single new one. Since you have a flock of one, that doesn't apply. I would just get another hen (preferably an adult), and stick her in the coop at night with the other one. Most likely it goes totally fine. If one of your two hens is particularly bossy, they might squabble, but I would be a little surprised. If they do, pull one out and put her in a cage near the other one for a few days, then repeat.
 
The reason you usually aren't supposed to introduce only one, is because your flock is usually larger than one, and you don't want several hens to mob a single new one. Since you have a flock of one, that doesn't apply. I would just get another hen (preferably an adult), and stick her in the coop at night with the other one. Most likely it goes totally fine. If one of your two hens is particularly bossy, they might squabble, but I would be a little surprised. If they do, pull one out and put her in a cage near the other one for a few days, then repeat.
I see. I’ll do just that then. Thank you!
 
Just be down there at daybreak when they first wake up to see how it is going. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't.

I don't know how much room you have, I suspect not much with that few chickens. I'd be tempted to add two new ones instead of just one. That way, if you lose one you won't be in this situation of a single chicken again. They are social animals and do better with company.

Good luck.
 

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