Hi everyone! I need some advice. This past weekend one of the two remaining members of my OG flock passed away very suddenly, and I am now left with one 11 y/o hen, Crabby, who has lost vision in one of her eyes due to glaucoma.
I lost two other girls to old age this year, and when there were only two chickens left I began reaching out to shelters in my area to find chickens to take in who needed a home (since two does not a flock make). Edie dying so suddenly has complicated matters. On the one hand, I'm worried that introducing new birds to just one senior hen may make Crabby--the longtime top of the pecking order--a target for bullying, since she is half-blind and quite elderly. On the other hand, chickens are obviously not meant to live alone, and especially not a chicken with only one good eye.
In the meantime, we're keeping Crabby in the run since she needs an escort to help keep an eye out for danger. I think adding more chickens is the best bet for her, but still I'm worried about it making her circumstances worse. What would you do in this situation?
And then while we figure things out, is there anything we can do to ease her loneliness? Would a mirror maybe make her feel more comfortable? Maybe it would give her the idea that she's not so alone/vulnerable? Obviously a mirror is not a long term solution but I want to do everything I can to help keep her comfortable.
Many thanks in advance!! This website has been such a great resource to me for 11 years now, as long as I've had Crabby <3
I lost two other girls to old age this year, and when there were only two chickens left I began reaching out to shelters in my area to find chickens to take in who needed a home (since two does not a flock make). Edie dying so suddenly has complicated matters. On the one hand, I'm worried that introducing new birds to just one senior hen may make Crabby--the longtime top of the pecking order--a target for bullying, since she is half-blind and quite elderly. On the other hand, chickens are obviously not meant to live alone, and especially not a chicken with only one good eye.
In the meantime, we're keeping Crabby in the run since she needs an escort to help keep an eye out for danger. I think adding more chickens is the best bet for her, but still I'm worried about it making her circumstances worse. What would you do in this situation?
And then while we figure things out, is there anything we can do to ease her loneliness? Would a mirror maybe make her feel more comfortable? Maybe it would give her the idea that she's not so alone/vulnerable? Obviously a mirror is not a long term solution but I want to do everything I can to help keep her comfortable.
Many thanks in advance!! This website has been such a great resource to me for 11 years now, as long as I've had Crabby <3