Loan chicken. How badly does she need company?

[UkuleleLady]

Edit: LONE not loan. Lol. Voice recognition! My husband recently adopted a stray chicken that wandered into our cul-de-sac. Assuming her owners never show up, I feel like we might need to get another chicken to keep her company if we keep her. And seeing as how I have totally fallen in love with this chicken, it looks like were keeping her! I have been letting her runaround the yard a lot when I'm out there doing stuff. She seems to want to be near me at all times while I am out there. She follows me everywhere I go. She comes when I call her, she eats out of my hand. She's very sweet and very friendly. I have become very fond of her. I don't want her to be unhappy. And I can't spend every minute with her. My dog and my cat are both getting jealous! I have read that there is a quarantine period And we are not set up for that. We are barely set up for the one chicken at this point. It will probably take us a few weeks to have a proper chicken environment for even chickens that can live together. What should I do? Can she just be a loan chicken if she gets lots of company from me, or does she really need the comfort of at least another chicken around at night and stuff?

 

[jennychick45]

How old is she and how often are you around? Were do you keep her if you don't mind me asking? It wouldn't hurt to get another chicken but I guess it doesn't matter if you spend a LOT of time together.

 

[EggresiveAli]

I'm no expert, but I would get her a buddie. She will become VERY noisy and possibly depressed.

 

[jennychick45]

I'm no expert, but I would get her a buddie. She will become VERY noisy and possibly depressed.

X2

 

[krista74]

Yes, I would recommend getting her a friend.

Chickens are flock animals, and as much as I'm sure you give her attention, she needs someone to snuggle up with at night and talk chicken talk.

A lot of people will actually get three birds in total. That way if anything happens to one of them, there are still two left.

Krista

 

[UkuleleLady]

I just read my original subject of my post and realize that my voice recognition thought I meant loan but what I really meant was lone. In any case that's pretty much what I thought. And I was going to have hubby build the chicken coop big enough for three or four just in case. I cannot say however that I am a big fan of chicken poop. To me more chickens equals more poop. I'm thinking three will be my max. She is in a makeshift pen right now that's about 10 by 12 ft. probably and my husband converted a vintage TV cabinet into a temporary coop for her so she's safe at night, though she did spend 4th of July night inside in a makeshift cage made out of laundry hampers because she seemed afraid of the fireworks that were going on.

 

[UkuleleLady]

How old is she and how often are you around? Were do you keep her if you don't mind me asking? It wouldn't hurt to get another chicken but I guess it doesn't matter if you spend a LOT of time together.

I am around most of the day. Around the house at least. My dog and cat are both jealous of how much time I'm spending with her out back without them. I don't trust them around her at all, so if I'm letting her run around in the yard, I leave the fur babies inside. But I can't be with her all the time, and I do think she needs a friend. I don't know how old she is because she wandered into our cul-de-sac last week and my husband rescued her. I never meant to get a chicken, it just happened! Of course that's almost how it always is with me and my animals.

 

[jennychick45]

I am around most of the day. Around the house at least. My dog and cat are both
jealous of how much time I'm spending with her out back without them. I don't trust them around her at all, so if I'm letting her run around in the yard, I leave the fur babies inside. But I can't be with her all the time, and I do think she needs a friend. I don't know how old she is because she wandered into our cul-de-sac last week and my husband rescued her. I never meant to get a chicken, it just happened! Of course that's almost how it always is with me and my animals.

Sounds like she needs a few feathered friends then !

 

[EggresiveAli]

Sounds like she needs a few feathered friends then !

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