Lonely Chicken

[Marina Walden]

Hi

I had a little flock of 3 chickens, this week my neighbours dogs broke in and killed 2 of themour third has lost a few feathers but managed to escape the dogs.

She is clearly missing her friends and looks really lonely. I'm planning to go get her some new friends at the weekend, but for the next few days whats the best thing to do for her? She is clearly confused and scared at the minute.

Any tips for when we introduce some new friends will also be gratefully received, this was our first flock so it will be the first time introducing new birds.

Thanks
Marina

 

[Col1948]

I read a while ago of someone who put a mirror next to a baby chick, it cuddled up to it thinking it was another chick.
Not sure if it will work with a more mature hen though.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

Oh im so sorry! Its so sad when things like that happen, especially since you had so few you were probably really close to them.
She will likely be ok for a few days, do your best to keep her to her normal routine, though if you free range during the day and she is too scared to be loose alone you could keep her in a run or in the chicken house so she doesn't feel so exposed.
When you get new ones are you just getting a few so she isnt overwhelmed by a big number? She may get picked on alot if you introduce more than 2 or 3 at a time.
However many you get you can introduce them slowly, keeping them where they can "see but not touch" each other so they get used to each other without fights for a couple days. And when you do put them together, I find late afternoon/early evening to be a good time to do so. I definitely dont add new birds in the morning since they wake up full of hormones and seem to be more aggressive in the mornings. At least with adult and near adult birds...
how old is she and how old are the new ones you are getting?

 

[Marina Walden]

Oh im so sorry! Its so sad when things like that happen, especially since you had so few you were probably really close to them.
She will likely be ok for a few days, do your best to keep her to her normal routine, though if you free range during the day and she is too scared to be loose alone you could keep her in a run or in the chicken house so she doesn't feel so exposed.
When you get new ones are you just getting a few so she isnt overwhelmed by a big number? She may get picked on alot if you introduce more than 2 or 3 at a time.
However many you get you can introduce them slowly, keeping them where they can "see but not touch" each other so they get used to each other without fights for a couple days. And when you do put them together, I find late afternoon/early evening to be a good time to do so. I definitely dont add new birds in the morning since they wake up full of hormones and seem to be more aggressive in the mornings. At least with adult and near adult birds...
how old is she and how old are the new ones you are getting?

Our "Mrs Tweedy" is about 2 years old, we are planning to get some point-of-lay birds, and were planning on getting no more than 3 new ones. Thanks for the tip on intro in the late afternoon.

I've been keeping her in her run with the door to her coup open so she can run and hide anytime she wants, she's been spending most of her time in the laying box huddled up.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

i just had the same issue...lost a white silkie and a crested polish chick to a raccoon monday night... and left one black silkie....they were only 4 weeks old....the black one cried most of the morning, so hubby just went to the local feed store and got a baby buff orp to keep it company.....the mirror works great when they are babies, the 2 of them just starred in it all day, so cute.....i am so sorry to hear about your loss...i know its devastating......i have 17 adult chickens and love them all....

 

[Shadrach]

Hello Marina Walden.
Welcome to BYC.
You could buy a baby pen and bring the hen into the house while you quarantine the newcomers.

 

[Marina Walden]

I took your advice and put a mirror in for her to have a friend while we wait to get some new real friends. She seems interested and has at least come out of her nest box to have a look.

As you can see the poor girl is a bit bedraggled after her encounter with the dogs.

 

[meglynnie]

I'm sorry for you loss! Good luck on your new chickens!

 

[Moki]

Wow, how did they break in, that enclosure looks pretty strong.

 

[Col1948]

You could try something I think may work to stop the pecking order thing when introducing new chickens.
If you are only getting a few, you could take her with you in a box, then when you get the new girls put her in the box with them.
My theory is they will all be nervous in the car journey home and I think a bond develops in that journey, because they will be supporting each other.

I noticed this when I got my hens, I got 3 at first, all different breeds, but once they got home they seemed to settle in OK without any bickering.
Then I later got two more, they too bonded in the box on the journey home, but I kept them apart from the other three for a while before introducing them, there was bickering but it did settle down in a couple of weeks.