Is my chicken lonely?

[Balfour Girl]

I adore my girl... and that's why I'm so nervous to get more chickens... I don't want her to get hurt or hurt anyone else. I'm so pathetic I took a milk crate to the coop today and sat there hand feeding her bread so she'd have company. I even got her to sit on my lap - just as my cell phone rang and I had to dump her to answer it!

 

[sewincircle]

I think it would be worth it to try again! She will be okay...or you could move in with her!

 

[Balfour Girl]

Meet the Boys!

So we went to get a rooster today to keep the chicken company and came home with two roosters... a buff orpington and a RIR. They all scrapped for about 5 minutes and it ended with the RIR the apparent winner. It's supposed to go down to 28 below this weekend, so I'm glad my chicken has cuddle company now!

 

[Balfour Girl]

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[sewincircle]

Aren’t they handsome! Do I smell love in the air? Now she will have cuddle buddies. Roos will use her to keep their combs warm as they cannot put their head behind their wings like a hen can.

 

[ozark hen]

Rule of thumb: when integrating new birds keep them in quarantine for a couple weeks, then be sure they are apart but where the established bird/birds can see and hear them before letting them merge, preferably at roosting time. Only way to safely do it. I have followed this advice from members here and it has always worked for me. Good luck as chickens are social creatures and need to be with their own kind.

 

[zatsdeb]

good looking boys there!!

who knows, maybe she will sit on eggs and hatch a whole family for you!!

 

[sewincircle]

That is good advice. When I have integrated they have always been chickens I have hatched so I forget that part as they have always been seperate under my watch. Thats what this forum is all about!
I am thinking of getting some pullets that I have not raised myself so I need to remember the quarentine part!

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
beautiful birds

 

[silkiechicken]

They look good!

Another tidbit... two roos and one girl is going to leave you one very ratty looking, naked necked and bare backed girl with the two guys fighting over her. Try to keep it to one roo per 10+ hens. Any time you bring in more chickens or integrate flocks, they will fight till a pecking order is established, so it is normal.