Lonely Chicken, Moulting or something more?

[chicketychicken]

Bear with me ... as my story is sort of lengthy...but at this point I am so worried and not sure where to turn.
I had a flock of two chickens...they were best friends and did everythign together. ONe of my chickens had a blowout that she did not recover from causing us to put her down. Leaving us with one lonely chicken. Because winter is fast approaching (would you believe it is snowing today in CT!) I decided the best thing would be to get my chicken a friend.
I got her a nice fuzzy chicken and after a week they were getting along great....walking the yard together. Although I have to admit this new chicken spent more time then usual in the coop and i often had to lock her out of the coop to get her use to life in the yard.
She seemed to get my chicken in this habit as well. I would push them out of the coop in the morning, lock them out, and send them into the yard and they would be fine...coming to roost in the evening.
Well one day my dogs ... that have never so much as ruffled a feather on my other two chickens killed my new chicken. I believe it traumatized my little girl and now she is sad and scared.
She is spending most of her time in her coop. But i am not sure this is a lingering result of her learned habit from her time with the other chicken... or if it is due to the weather changes. It got really cold really fast here, barely breaking 40's somedays (30's over night) ... and as I said it is SNOWING today. Full out snowing...even gathering on the ground! Its miserable and wet.
Today I go out to check on her and there are feathers EVERYWHERE. And honestly the season is right for moulting but I am really worried it could be something more.
Does anyone have any opinions????

 

[purpletree23]

I fell terrible for your girl. She is scared and cold and lonely. Can you keep her somewhere warmer until you can get her more buddies?

Did you quarantine the 'new' chicken before allowing her to run around with your girl? If not she might be sick from something the other chicken introduced. Right now she needs warmth, good foods, a few treats and a lot of TLC. Chickens are very susceptable to stress and it can make them very sick very fast. Sounds like she's got a lot going on. Give her scrambled egg, cottage cheese (small amount) small amounts of fruit, pumpkin, scratch to help her keep warm and layer pellets. Don't forget grit and crushed oyster shell.

If this is more than what you bargained for and want to re-home her I live in Southern New Hampshire and I would adopt her. We moved from Connecticut last year and make frequent trips to see family and friends. We would give her a nice home and she would have 4 sisters to play with. Just a thought.

PM me if you like and take good care of her and yourself.

 

[chicketychicken]

Well I have to tell you there is a bear in the area. Seen twice in two days, and that's just while we are paying attention. He could be making more frequent visits. We've actually taken to keeping the dogs in for fear that it may injure one of them.
I spoke with the original owner of my chicken and she has another hen who she would be willing to part with in an attempt to reduce some stress on my current hen.
She agrees its probably moulting causing the feather loss~ although it could be stress related. nothing is getting into her coop or run, since we've been locking her in since all this started~I did have one of my dogs stealing the eggs right out of the nest (she's a little jack russell and fits perfectly through the coop door) But as i said she is locked out of the run so i know its not her pulling chicken feathers out. The chicken isn't bald or injured and I was watchign her today and as she moves I noticed a feather losen and fall out then later my daughter saw the same thing...so I dont think she's pulling them out on her own either.
After I am able to settle in the "old" new chicken I will think about getting another two to keep them even warmer. For now I went and got a heat lamp.
She's still chatty~ but definitely lonely. Hopefully I can get her a friend this weekend and she will begin to come around.