Keeping new hen happy during quarantine

[Erin Apple]

Last week I brought home a new hen, a beautiful 8-month old black Ameraucana who has already laid two lovely minty blue eggs for me. I understand it's difficult to introduce just one bird but my ordinance only allows me one more chicken, so I did lots of research on how to do it and got one that's close in age and the same size as my other four hens. I'm keeping her quarantined separate from my flock until it's time to begin the slow introduction process, and during this time I want to make sure she's as comfortable and happy as possible.

She's inside a wire rabbit cage now, with a stick wedged between the bars for a roost (which she sleeps on at night), water, food and hay for bedding. I do worry though that she's lonely in there, and the 1.5 hour car ride to bring her home was a major stressor - she didn't eat for the first day she was with me and made lots of distress sounds. She was in the garage that evening but I've since moved her out onto our screened back porch, where she can feel the breeze and get used to the sounds of our yard, including the sounds of our chickens (who are about 60 feet away). She seems to have calmed down since.

My question is, is there anything else I can do to keep her comfortable and as happy as possible during quarantine? She doesn't have much to do or much space to get exercise, but I can't let her out in the yard near my flock yet. Do any of you have good tips for how to keep a chicken from getting bored and lonely during this time? Or is it just something she'll have to ride out? Thanks so much!

 

[Thing2]

Oatmeal
Corn
Greens such as lettuce, spinach, and beet greens
Mealworms
Bread scraps
Cooked quinoa or rice
Pumpkin

If you hang some of these treats and suspend them just above reach, your birds will exercise and be kept busy for hours. Another idea I have found to be very effective, is a treat ball. You can buy or make these. If you wish to make one, all you have to do is find an empty, plastic water bottle or food can, drill small holes into it, fill it with scratch or other seeds and toss it to your chickens.
Please be sure that treats do not take up more than 10% of your flock's daily diet.

(I found this in the article Tips for Preventing Chicken Boredom in Winter)

 

[Kathy Golla]

If she likes people, I would hire a neighborhood kid to come over and spend an hour with her every afternoon. A kid would love to make $5 a day and bring home some eggs.

 

[theoldchick]

A mirror will do the trick. Just don't put it inside the cage where she can break it. A radio softly playing soothing music will also help. Congrats on your new hen!

 

[Mrs. K]

You are not quarantining at 60 feet. Air borne illnesses will travel that far. So they all have that exposure over, if nothing got sick, you are probably good to go, you really do not have to wait any longer.

What I would suggest is to pick a middle of the flock bird, and put her and the new bird together. They will duke it out a bit, but it is just one on one. Let them get used to each other for a couple of weeks, and then pull out the two top birds, and put this pair in, wait just a couple of days, and put them all together.

That way your are not introducing a single bird into a strange set up, against 4 birds.

Another trick, when you put the new bird in, is to let the original flock out, and lock them out of the coop/run set up, locking the new bird and her partner in the set up. This lets them explore the area without being under attack. It also lets the new birds see these birds in that set up. Which can make them more accepting (kind of, sort of).

Good luck, Mrs K

 

[aart]

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