New chicken mom

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Cutiepie29

Cutiepie29

Chirping
Jul 30, 2023
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My sister had a small flock of chickens in her woodland-adjacent backyard. A bobcat got one of the four and scattered the others, but the three not killed came back over the next day or so. The hens were only about a year old at that time. When my sister and her husband decided to remodel their home and would be living in a rental that didn't allow chickens, I volunteered to take her birds. The week before they were supposed to come to my house, her flock was again attacked by a wild animal (not sure if it was hawks, bobcats, or coyotes since all had been spotted at one time or another) and two of the three chickens were killed.

So, instead of getting a flock, I have only Butterscotch, a Buff Orpington. She is about 2 1/2 years old. I'm sad that we didn't get Kitty and TicToc (black Australorps), so now I'm trying to get another hen to be company for Butterscotch. I have an enclosed run that is 10x20 feet (no predators are getting in there!) and a coop that has a roosting rail and four nesting boxes. I know that chickens are social animals and I don't want her to be lonely but I also am being very cautious about introducing new dynamics, so I'm going to start by adding one for now.

Does the breed matter when it comes to introducing new hens? I'm thinking that another buff Orpington or an Australorp would work best since that's what Butterscotch is used to. Also, I'm not sure where to get the new hen/pullet from. I'm too nervous to try raising a chick right now, so I want one that's a bit older, but the ads I've tried to respond to on KSL.com haven't gotten back to me yet.

I'm frustrated but happy too since Butterscotch is a sweetie and a good egg-layer. Except for this past week when temps have been in the 100s, we've gotten an egg a day, with a couple days where she laid two.
 
Cutiepie29 said:
My sister had a small flock of chickens in her woodland-adjacent backyard. A bobcat got one of the four and scattered the others, but the three not killed came back over the next day or so. The hens were only about a year old at that time. When my sister and her husband decided to remodel their home and would be living in a rental that didn't allow chickens, I volunteered to take her birds. The week before they were supposed to come to my house, her flock was again attacked by a wild animal (not sure if it was hawks, bobcats, or coyotes since all had been spotted at one time or another) and two of the three chickens were killed.

So, instead of getting a flock, I have only Butterscotch, a Buff Orpington. She is about 2 1/2 years old. I'm sad that we didn't get Kitty and TicToc (black Australorps), so now I'm trying to get another hen to be company for Butterscotch. I have an enclosed run that is 10x20 feet (no predators are getting in there!) and a coop that has a roosting rail and four nesting boxes. I know that chickens are social animals and I don't want her to be lonely but I also am being very cautious about introducing new dynamics, so I'm going to start by adding one for now.

Does the breed matter when it comes to introducing new hens? I'm thinking that another buff Orpington or an Australorp would work best since that's what Butterscotch is used to. Also, I'm not sure where to get the new hen/pullet from. I'm too nervous to try raising a chick right now, so I want one that's a bit older, but the ads I've tried to respond to on KSL.com haven't gotten back to me yet.

I'm frustrated but happy too since Butterscotch is a sweetie and a good egg-layer. Except for this past week when temps have been in the 100s, we've gotten an egg a day, with a couple days where she laid two.
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Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out.
Your right to add more maybe add 2?
 
Sounds like Butterscotch is one lucky girl -- she escaped predators and is getting a new home with someone who already cares about her well being.

It's good that you are trying to find some company for her, although Butterscotch might not immediately appreciate your efforts. My Buff Orp was the lone survivor when a mink killed her three coop mates, and Honey was seriously traumatized. She wasn't interested in socializing with the hens whose coop I moved her into right away, but today, they are fast friends.

Best wishes on finding suitable companions for Butterscotch. Two would probably be a good idea, as long as they aren't so closely bonded to each other that they form an alliance that leaves her as the odd girl out in the pecking order. I've never had Australorps, but I know they have a reputation for being docile, so you are likely on the right track there.

If you need advice on how to integrate the new chicken or chickens with Butterscotch, feel free to ask. Many BYC folks have experience with integrating new girls.

Welcome to BYC, and please let us know how things progress!
 

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