So I lost one chick, do I get another?

[den10hens]

Many of you are aware of my losing little Clarabel. Now I need to decide if I should get another chick or not. Here are my concerns:

Remeber I live in town and can only have three hens.

My other two are now 3 weeks old and will be much bigger than a new chick...will they pick on her? same question if I end up getting a different breed.

If I don't replace her, then this winter I will only have 2. Will they keep each other warm enough in the coop outside? Winters are pretty mild here but occasionally the temp gets into the low teens. Also, if I only have two and something happens to one of them, I could end up with a very lonely (and very cold) chicken.

We are raising them for eggs and as pets. The quantity of eggs I will or won't get is not a huge concern, I am worried more about "chicken social structure" and their happiness.

Thanks so much!

 

[tiffanyh]

I guess it is really up to you--do you want another chick?? I wouldnt be worried least about the winter, I have had two chickens through the winter and they are fine. You can wait until they are hens and get another hen. I usually keep at least three so that if somehting happens to one, at least they have another conpainion and arent left all alone.

 

[V Chic Chick]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. By the time the cold weather rolls around, then they'll be fully feathered and fully grown.

I've gone through three winters with only two hens, and they've never got so much as frostbite. It normally stays around -5 to 5 C from November to February.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I wouldn't worry about it either...The only year my 2 got frostbite was because it was below zero for like a week...even my fossil of a DH didn't remember it ever being that cold.

 

[chrissieg]

Why not put in a request in the BUY/SELL/GIVEAWAY site for a similar aged chick? You may find somebody who lives close by!