One chicken left

[KorinneK]

I have a problem.... Predators (either animal or human) made off with 5 of our 6 young hens, leaving just one lonely and confused (and cold) chicken to face her first winter alone. We are new chicken owners,and I don't know how best to care for our lonely girl.

Should we give her away to another flock? (hopefully to not be eaten right away, since we've grown fond of her)
Or should we get 1 or 2 new chicken friends for her? Would it help to be her same color and size?

I understand about the pecking order problem and that's why I'm trying to figure out the best solution. We really don't want to have to 'put her down' to keep from her being pecked to death or miserable.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I'm sorry for your losses!

I would get a couple more hens. If you gave her away to another flock, she'd likely be picked on by the other birds. Usually, you want to introduce at least two chickens at a time, to prevent one from being singled out and picked on.

Color doesn't really matter when choosing a companion. Size is more important. Choose a chicken breed that is about her same size and around her same age.

 

[KorinneK]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply.

You think that 2 new ones who are already 'friends' and 1 established one is better than 1 and 1? I would think the 2 would 'gang up on' the one. Where, one to one, there's only each other to deal with.

We weren't really sure how our chickens would handle the winter and our situation here - (first time chicken owners) Much wind and cold and a small chicken house. (We live in the nation of Georgia, next to Russia and Turkey - not many chicken amenities or specialty products to make them more comfy.)

If I thought that she would do OK in a different flock, I would probably choose that route and start again next spring with a whole new group.

 

[tcstoehr]

I would think that either 1 or 2 new hens would be OK. Your current hen is only one so she won't be ganging up on the new bird/s. And the new bird/s will be in a new environment which should make them less aggressive... I think. In any case, I wouldn't want a single hen going through the winter by herself. Assuming, of course, that you have taken care of the predator problem. If not, then it doesn't really matter. You will have no chickens at all to worry about.