Keeping single hen alone?

[mmd2240]

Hi, this past Spring I got two hens and this is my first time keeping chickens. Recently one of the hens passed away so my question is do hens do ok living by themselves? Is it required that I get at least one other hen friend for her? Fact based, explanations for your response would be appreciated.

 

[Zoomie]

I had this happen to me. My one hen lived alone just fine for quite a while. I was working on getting her two companions and it took some time, about 2 months, but she did seem OK by herself. And of course, when I put the two new hens in there, she immediately chased them! Wanting to let them know who was Queen of the Coop! They worked it out after about two weeks.

They are social animals and normally live in groups. Try and observe your hen very closely: is she eating and drinking enough, does she seem hyper-alert or just normal, etc? All that can help you assess if she's OK by herself. You don't want her to be pining away and not eating, or terrified about being alone all the time. They do tend to be quite stoic, so you must be sure you are careful in watching her - she will tend to be sort of acting like everything is OK. As long as she is eating and drinking normally, seems able to relax and dust bathe, well, OK... but. I *would* advise you to try and find her a companion, if you can.

 

[driver]

When her companion died, my single hen seemed fine by herself. She lived alone for about 6 months until I got some new chicks in the spring, and they grew big enough to put them together.

 

[mmd2240]

I had this happen to me. My one hen lived alone just fine for quite a while. I was working on getting her two companions and it took some time, about 2 months, but she did seem OK by herself. And of course, when I put the two new hens in there, she immediately chased them! Wanting to let them know who was Queen of the Coop! They worked it out after about two weeks.

They are social animals and normally live in groups. Try and observe your hen very closely: is she eating and drinking enough, does she seem hyper-alert or just normal, etc? All that can help you assess if she's OK by herself. You don't want her to be pining away and not eating, or terrified about being alone all the time. They do tend to be quite stoic, so you must be sure you are careful in watching her - she will tend to be sort of acting like everything is OK. As long as she is eating and drinking normally, seems able to relax and dust bathe, well, OK... but. I *would* advise you to try and find her a companion, if you can.

Thanks! Yeah my concern would be "chicken depression" and I have no idea if such things exist. But for people eating and drinking habits and stress alertness changes so I will be watching her!

 

[lazy gardener]

Chickens are flock animals. They were created to benefit from living in a social group. Can your hen survive alone? Perhaps, unless you live in the snow and ice belt. If so, welcome to my neighborhood! Will she be happy? I'm guessing that living alone would be stressful for her. Imagine living in a world where almost all the rest of the animal kingdom wants to eat you. Now imagine living alone in that world without having a friend or two to help "watch your back!" Even though she will be a little beastie when you provide her with a flock mate, I recommend that you do so. Even better yet, if your coop and run are large enough, I'd suggest that you get 2 birds for her. The ideal in this situation (IMO) would be 2 younger birds.

 

[sourland]

2 rather than one addition is a good idea in that if in the future one bird dies a 'flock' of 2 still remain to provide company to one another.

 

[mmd2240]

Chickens are flock animals. They were created to benefit from living in a social group. Can your hen survive alone? Perhaps, unless you live in the snow and ice belt. If so, welcome to my neighborhood! Will she be happy? I'm guessing that living alone would be stressful for her. Imagine living in a world where almost all the rest of the animal kingdom wants to eat you. Now imagine living alone in that world without having a friend or two to help "watch your back!" Even though she will be a little beastie when you provide her with a flock mate, I recommend that you do so. Even better yet, if your coop and run are large enough, I'd suggest that you get 2 birds for her. The ideal in this situation (IMO) would be 2 younger birds.

Thanks! DO you suggest two more birds because the birds would be happier/more comfortable or so that its easier to introduce them? Im so new at this!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The point of two new birds is so that you don't have the same risk of a lonely only should one die.

I agree. Chickens are flock animals. Most chickens feel very lonely without another flock mate.

LofMc

 

[lazy gardener]

I suggest 2 birds, b/c it's always easier to integrate 2. Even though you only have one bird, she is hopefully older than the new one(s) coming in, and she will have the home court advantage. If you integrate 2, the 2 will have already formed an alliance, and the older hen can't focus all of her aggression on a single bird. And, then there's the issue of what to do in you loose an other. 3 - 1 = 2! You avoid the single bird issue if and when an other one dies.

 

[yxstu]

Hello! I had two hens, just like you, both were 2-1/2 years old and grew up together so they were very bonded. Last night, I came home to find both of them in their coop, one of them had passed away and the other was standing over the other one. It broke my heart.

Please keep me posted on what you've decided to do and how it worked.

I'm sorry for your loss and Good Luck with a new hen!