One lone hen?? :'( Our flock is down to a solo gal, what to do next??

[FlockinAround]

We are heartbroken for our one lone hen Jessy- she is only 7 months old, has been laying since September and is about to enter winter all alone! The timing isn't great for us to get tiny baby chicks, and she is a large floof of a chicken so I think adding pullets that are coop- ready but way smaller could be tricky.
We are new chicken to having chickens and she is the last of our initial 3- one was a roo and we can't have roos here and the other died suddenly last month (no illness, apparently something wrong with internal organs, liver).

What do you suggest as far as getting more chickens, would getting just one more solo chicken be a bad idea? We were planning to get 3 babies from our orig roo that we re-homed in spring to grow the flock, but now I don't want her to be alone, so trying to figure out what we do.

I've been looking for 1-2 around her same age and coloring if possible but haven't found anything but much younger or older chickens just yet... Would appreciate any tips, feedback, ideas etc! Thank you!

PS we are in Los Angeles so it's not too cold- she is not molting that I can tell and I'm not sure what other info might be helpful- she free ranges for several hours each day and we have enough coop/run space for about 8 chickens total so there's loads of food and space access.

 

[Debbie292d]

I absolutely would not put anything with her that's smaller than she is or she'd peck it. If you bought chicks now, it would take minimally 3 months, more like 4 months, and 5 months if it's a silky, before you can blend them all together.

With adults, you pay more but don't have to deal with roosters. With hatcheries, sometimes you can order pullets, but with you only wanting a few, that would cost an arm and a leg.

Could you perhaps make a Facebook account and join poultry groups for your state and area? Then you could see who may be by you trying to sell chickens, or you could post that you're looking for a couple of hens. After you get any new chickens to join with her, be sure to quarantine them first for at least a week and best if it's two weeks. Watch for any signs of respiratory infection and check to see if their poop looks similar to hers.

You could also find your state thread here and ask in there if anyone can help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/find-your-states-or-your-countrys-thread.270925/

Good luck! Jessy is beautiful!

 

[FlockinAround]

I absolutely would not put anything with her that's smaller than she is or she'd peck it. If you bought chicks now, it would take minimally 3 months, more like 4 months, and 5 months if it's a silky, before you can blend them all together.

With adults, you pay more but don't have to deal with roosters. With hatcheries, sometimes you can order pullets, but with you only wanting a few, that would cost an arm and a leg.

Could you perhaps make a Facebook account and join poultry groups for your state and area? Then you could see who may be by you trying to sell chickens, or you could post that you're looking for a couple of hens. After you get any new chickens to join with her, be sure to quarantine them first for at least a week and best if it's two weeks. Watch for any signs of respiratory infection and check to see if their poop looks similar to hers.

You could also find your state thread here and ask in there if anyone can help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/find-your-states-or-your-countrys-thread.270925/

Good luck! Jessy is beautiful!

Thank you this is super helpful- I am in local facebook groups and then got overwhelmed because I didn't want to get any that would be too young or on the other side too old to get used to being snuggled by my kids! When looking in FB groups what questions should I ask- I'm definitely worried about bringing any sicknesses in and should learn more about quarantine times etc before I go rounding up new chickens! Thank you again for your thoughtful reply!

 

[Debbie292d]

I would post Jessy's picture and ask if anyone's got just one or two full-grown hens they could spare for her so she doesn't spend all winter alone. I only guess that she's an olive egger.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[NatJ]

The timing isn't great for us to get tiny baby chicks...we are in Los Angeles so it's not too cold...we have enough coop/run space for about 8 chickens total

You might consider an idea like this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

The article talks about brooding chicks in the coop, and letting them mingle with adult chickens from the time they are a few weeks old.

Doing something like that would let your hen have some kind of company soon, even if you do have to start with chicks (and I know there are hatcheries still shipping chicks, although they may have minimum orders that are too high for your purpose.)

I don't know what kind of "timing" issues you are dealing with. Some issues can be solved by brooding chicks in the coop rather than inside the house, and some cannot. (Chicks in the coop still need care, but do not need space in the house and do not make dust inside the house.)

would getting just one more solo chicken be a bad idea? We were planning to get 3 babies from our orig roo that we re-homed in spring to grow the flock, but now I don't want her to be alone, so trying to figure out what we do.

Getting just one more chicken could work, but I would probably try to get at least two. That way if something happens to one, you do not have a lone hen again.

 

[FlockinAround]

I would post Jessy's picture and ask if anyone's got just one or two full-grown hens they could spare for her so she doesn't spend all winter alone. I only guess that she's an olive egger.

I wish you the best of luck!

Thank you so much! I did post her pic in couple local groups and ask about available 7month olds- and most of the available pullets/hens are either quite a bit younger or older so I'm hoping to find some closer to her age/size asap. I love your guess because she's a mystery to us- she was labled as a bantam at the feed store and she is for sure not that lol- she lays light brown eggs. Hoping to find her some buddies soooon! <3

 

[NatJ]

I did post her pic in couple local groups and ask about available 7month olds- and most of the available pullets/hens are either quite a bit younger or older so I'm hoping to find some closer to her age/size asap.

Once they are grown up and laying eggs, chickens do not seem to care too much about ages.

So if you cannot find any pullets close to her age, I would try any pullets or hens that are laying, because that will probably work.

 

[FlockinAround]

You might consider an idea like this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

The article talks about brooding chicks in the coop, and letting them mingle with adult chickens from the time they are a few weeks old.

Doing something like that would let your hen have some kind of company soon, even if you do have to start with chicks (and I know there are hatcheries still shipping chicks, although they may have minimum orders that are too high for your purpose.)

I don't know what kind of "timing" issues you are dealing with. Some issues can be solved by brooding chicks in the coop rather than inside the house, and some cannot. (Chicks in the coop still need care, but do not need space in the house and do not make dust inside the house.)



Getting just one more chicken could work, but I would probably try to get at least two. That way if something happens to one, you do not have a lone hen again.

ohh I'll take a look, thank you so much- I didn't consider that and if by some miracle she goes broody all the sudden I'd definitely go for it- it's not super cold at night yet but in the 50s for sure, my brooder area inside is a giant construction space now and won't be available again for a couple months. I think you're right and I should get at least 2 more, thanks for taking the time to reply and with a creative solution too! I appreciate it!

 

[NatJ]

ohh I'll take a look, thank you so much- I didn't consider that and if by some miracle she goes broody all the sudden I'd definitely go for it

That idea about brooding chicks in the coop does not require a broody hen. It is just a way of brooding chicks with artificial heat (heat lamp, brooder plate, or something similar), and then letting them mingle with the adult chickens from a young age.

It takes advantage of the fact that young chicks are much smaller than adult chickens, so you can have chick-sized doors that let them get away if the hen chases them.

it's not super cold at night yet but in the 50s for sure, my brooder area inside is a giant construction space now and won't be available again for a couple months.

In that case, brooding in the coop is definitely worth some thinking, to see if it might work for you.

I think you're right and I should get at least 2 more, thanks for taking the time to reply and with a creative solution too! I appreciate it!

I hope everything works out well for you and your lonely hen

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Thank you so much! I did post her pic in couple local groups and ask about available 7month olds- and most of the available pullets/hens are either quite a bit younger or older so I'm hoping to find some closer to her age/size asap. I love your guess because she's a mystery to us- she was labled as a bantam at the feed store and she is for sure not that lol- she lays light brown eggs. Hoping to find her some buddies soooon! <3

she looks almost exactly the same as my girl sugarcube, who is a 'blue star' breed