One chicken left :(

[bdickey]

We had 2 one year old hens and we just bought some more chicks to add to the flock this year (chicken math in effect).

While left out in the yard for 10 minutes by themselves something came in and took one of the hens away. The remaining hen is going nuts screaming and hiding in the coop. She misses her sister.The chicks won't be ready for the coop for another 2 months or so. Will the remaining hen be o.k. by herself for 2 months? Or should I immediately purchase another hen to keep her company?

 

[lincolnsilkies]

Sorry to hear about your other hen. But i do think she is going to need another hen to be with her from what i have heard chickens dont do that well on their own. Oh and by the way what kind of hen do you?

 

[bdickey]

It is actually my dad's he is not very computery so he had me ask the question. He had a Dark Brahma and a New Hampshire Red. The New Hampshire Red is the one that is missing. The chicks are Wyandots, Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds.

I have 2 Buckeyes of my own.

 

[Den in Penn]

How old are the chicks? If your coop is big enough you could divide the coop and put the chicks in one part, turning that part into a grow out area . If she sees the chicks she won't feel alone. In fact that is the best way to integrate her with the chicks. By the time there isn't much size difference the only problem will be the pecking order to be settled.

 

[SacCityChickens]

I agree with Den, I would try putting them together, there shouldn't be any pecking order issues, because they are so small. Your big girl might just take right too them, now that she's alone.
Good luck
SCC

 

[Den in Penn]

Don't put them together without a barrier between them until you know her attitude towards them. She can easily kill the small invaders to her territory. Growing up in a pen next to her she will come to accept them. When they are big enough to defend or run then think about allowing them together.

 

[Nsampsel]

I have a mixed age coop & really haven't had too much trouble with just putting them all in together. My oldest chix are about 6-8 weeks old & my youngest, just put out yesterday, is about 1 1/2-2 weeks old. She has been chased & pecked a few times, but no one (not even my 1/2 grown Mallards) has really tried to hurt her. But my chicks are pretty used to new arrivals too. I've added new chicks to the coop several times since I got my 1st 6 & haven't had any trouble. I even have Banties mixed in. The only reason my 4 newest Banties are still in the brooder at this point is cuz they aren't feathered in enuf & are small enuf to slip right thru my wire.

I've bought chicks/ducks 5 times in the past 7-8 weeks, so my oldest ones could be about 9-10 weeks at this point with the youngest at about 1 1/2 weeks old.

(CHICKEN MATH VICTIM IN ACTION...LOL)

 

[Den in Penn]

A full grown hen is unpredictable with chicks. Mixing chicks of different ages is easier.

 

[bobbi-j]

A full grown hen is unpredictable with chicks. Mixing chicks of different ages is easier.

x2 - The full grown hen could kill the chicks. I like Den's suggestion to put a divider in the coop if you can (chicken wire would be sufficient for this) so they can get used to each other, and make integrating easier once they're bigger.

 

[yankee123]

We have 6 leghorns and 6 N.H. reds and 1 golden rooster (lucky fella) and have just picked up 12 more NH reds and blacks. We are in the process of integrating them so at first we put them in a small coop beside the outdoor run so the grown ups could see and hear the chicks. We did this for a couple days and then we took all the girls and yes even elvis the rooster and put them in the garden for a little play time and the results were hilarious! these chicks went after the adults and actually chased them all over the garden! they would fly so abruptly that the big chickens gave up trying to peck them it was quite a sight! we have not left them in the coop as yet because the temps here in NY are so up and down right now that the chicks would probably not make it.