Lonely chicken

[406girl4life]

It is with a heavy heart that I say over the weekend a bear tore my coop apart and ate all my hens except one while I slept inside nearby. I am devastated and heart broken as my girls were my little nuggets and I loved them almost an unhealthy amount .
I had never had a bear sighting before this and haven’t seen it since, my coop was very secure and I was so diligent about them staying safe- this just destroys me. My lone hen survivor, Twat Waffle, seems very confused and cranes her neck to listen like she’s trying to find her buddies. I think she only survived because she was roosted the farthest from the door and was lucky.
I have read that it is not good to have only one chicken and here in Montana it will soon be winter and is too late to brood any chicks (even if I could find any anywhere...).
My worry is that Twat was always the most aggressive hen in the group (hence the name) and if I bring in one other hen for her to keep company that she might just bully it.
She was always my least snuggly hen as well and isn’t really very into being in contact with me much either.
Any advice on what to do?
Winter is closing in fast so I worry about integrating a new hen slowly as my set up currently isn’t great for separation. But also I worry about winter hitting and her being alone.
Thanks!

 

[sourland]

If all else fails try providing her with a mirror large enough that she can 'talk' to herself. Do you plan on installing hot wire around your coop/pen ?

 

[NatJ]

You could try rehoming your hen to someone else with chickens. She would not be alone, but you would no longer have her.

You could get several new hens (2-3) so she is less able to bully them. With one of her and two or three new ones, you could probably just put them all together in the coop and they would be fine after a bit of pecking and chasing. (No guarantees, but there's a good chance it would work.) Backup plan would be to put the current hen into a cage within the pen for a few days while they start to get acquainted with each other.

Depending on your coop, it might be possible to brood chicks in there even during winter. If so, you could try something like this to get them integrated with the hen from a young age: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

And do remember that the bear might come back

Edit to add: or keep this hen as a house chicken through the winter. Less lonesome, and safer if the bear returns.

 

[406girl4life]

If all else fails try providing her with a mirror large enough that she can 'talk' to herself. Do you plan on installing hot wire around your coop/pen ?

We have drilled screws all thru the door sticking out to cut the bears paws and gotten new latches that are very heavy duty. I don’t think it will be able to rip off the door again.

 

[406girl4life]

You could try rehoming your hen to someone else with chickens. She would not be alone, but you would no longer have her.

You could get several new hens (2-3) so she is less able to bully them. With one of her and two or three new ones, you could probably just put them all together in the coop and they would be fine after a bit of pecking and chasing. (No guarantees, but there's a good chance it would work.) Backup plan would be to put the current hen into a cage within the pen for a few days while they start to get acquainted with each other.

Depending on your coop, it might be possible to brood chicks in there even during winter. If so, you could try something like this to get them integrated with the hen from a young age: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

And do remember that the bear might come back

Edit to add: or keep this hen as a house chicken through the winter. Less lonesome, and safer if the bear returns.

How does one keep a “house chicken”. I know my husband and would not let me do that, no chance in hell, but now I’m curious.

 

[bokbokbacab]

I'm so sorry for your losses. I'm in a similar position to you, except I lost my other chicken yesterday to illness. I'm worried about bringing new birds in too fast without a quarantine but my surviving girl is also very skittish and stressed since losing her flock mate. She seems perfectly healthy.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and I'll be following this thread too.

 

[406girl4life]

I'm so sorry for your losses. I'm in a similar position to you, except I lost my other chicken yesterday to illness. I'm worried about bringing new birds in too fast without a quarantine but my surviving girl is also very skittish and stressed since losing her flock mate. She seems perfectly healthy.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and I'll be following this thread too.

I think I might have solved my problem... I am going to rehome her with my parents chickens. That way I can see her when I’m there and she will have friends. Hoping it will all go smoothly. Luckily they have a little separation area she can hang in for the first week or so before it starts to get cold

 

[NatJ]

How does one keep a “house chicken”. I know my husband and would not let me do that, no chance in hell, but now I’m curious.

Either with a big cage in the house (like a large dog crate or rabbit cage).
Or wearing a diaper. Yes, chicken diapers exist.

 

[aart]

Sorry for our loss.
Hot wire, baited for 'training', is the best bear deterrent.

I am going to rehome her with my parents chickens. That way I can see her when I’m there and she will have friends. Hoping it will all go smoothly. Luckily they have a little separation area she can hang in for the first week or so before it starts to get cold

Good decision.

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

As might these tips about .....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[One Lucky Momma]

My heart breaks with yours. Bears are tough.
It sounds like you’ve found the best possible solution. Being the new girl might give her an attitude adjustment, too.

Bait your new hot wire with bacon ...