Lone chicken

[bustermommy]

I have lost all but one chicken to a dog attack. She is 7 weeks old. There is a possible minor injury under one wing, but she mostly seems ok. The question is: I have two chickens coming in about two weeks. I could buy more now, but the coop really needs to be redone to prevent a recurrence. Will she be ok alone for two weeks or do I need to do an emergency chicken buying run and take chances on an I need it done now fix up rather than leaving her alone and taking the time to do better?

She seems sad and lonely but having more killed would definitely suck.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[flnatv]

so sorry... I also had a dog attack on Friday... I have one all alone in the bathroom that is injured. I won't put her out in the coop because I am worried about flies laying eggs on her.

We visit her OFTEN and she has gone from being skittish to the sweetest thing... She roosts on the side of the tub with her butt inside the tub (I just KNOW she does this to keep me from having to clean the floor).

She is a little older than yours and does seem lonely. I bring her sister in from the barn for part of the day so she isn't quite so lonely.

I am sure you can wait, but you won't be able to put them all together due to size... I would try and find a buddy for her... that is just my opinion.

 

[bustermommy]

flnatv, thanks for the advice.

I ended up getting her three pullets who are the same size as she is. We put them into the coop at night (although they did wake up enough to see each other in the dark).

Lucy is in a cage in the shade inside the run as I think she is missing a couple of wing feathers and the new ones are in the run (the coop is attached). They actually stick their heads into her cage to share her food rather than eat their own and everyone seems to be getting along very well. There has been NO pecking. Is it reasonable to let them all run together at the end of the week (after only 3 days)?

They actually are all hanging out together and can reach each other. Lucy is staying on the side of her cage closest to them and their heads are right next to each other at the feeder. But then her cage is in the premium shady spot.

The new chickens do seem wilder than Lucy though. I don't think they've been handled as much as Lucy has. Will this make a difference for how long they take to get used to each other?

 

[galanie]

I don't think their feelings toward humans will make any difference as far as them getting along with each other. Since you won't be quarantining the new ones, and they seem to get along famously now, you might try letting them all out together in the run and watching to see what happens. Just for now. I wouldn't keep them all together permanently yet, not until they've had a week or so to get acquainted.

 

[bustermommy]

Thanks, I assume you mean letting them run together during the day with me watching? Quarantine didn't seem necessary as the ones I bought had not been introduced to a flock; they were still in a brooder. Was that stupid? These are my first chickens.

I'm glad their wildness shouldn't impact. Three hysterical chickens was bad enough. I don't want it to cause problems for Lucy. I guess I just had an image of them thinking she was odd and picking on her because she was fine with us.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

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