Two are now one

[BennienFlorrie]

I got two new POLs just a month ago, they started laying straight away and were settling down nicely. They have an enclosed run and an open fenced in area which I have been letting them into under supervision, as we also have 2 ex racing greyhounds. Today while I was out at work my partner let my girls out and sadly one of them decided to hop the 4 1/2ft fence to the dogs side, she didn't survive. My remaining hen has gone very quiet, refused corn and mealworms and took herself off to bed an hour early.
How do I introduce a new hen, and how quickly? I don't want more than two, the first two were raised in the same flock, would they have had time to establish a pecking order? The one I've lost was a Maran, if I replace her with another Maran would that make acceptance easier?

 

[staceyj]

Oh i am incredibly sorry for your loss. And the tragic way it happened, makes it even worse.

I can’t offer a constructive suggestion but I know that the BYC Community will embrace your question and offer heartfelt suggestions based on personal experiences.
You are welcome here.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would go back where I got the POL and get another one as soon as possible. It will not matter what color or kind as long as it is about the same size. They may scuffle a bit, but one on one is usually not to bad. The longer you leave her alone, the more territorial she will get.

Do make sure there is some hideouts in the run and coop, and feed them at different places for a bit.

Mrs K

 

[BennienFlorrie]

Thanks, I will. Poor Bennie has a slight touch of diarreah this morning, though overall seems healthy enough, still very quiet though. This is my first venture into chickens, and its proving to be quite tough, in 4 weeks I've had to deal with rats, flooding and now this. Please tell me it will get easier!

 

[aart]

Please tell me it will get easier!

It will get easier.
A lot to learn the first year,
some hard lessons you'll have to adjust for,
it's like getting a sip of water out of a fire hose.
But it will get easier.

 

[staceyj]

@aart said it perfectly. ...That first year...
And it’s a BIG fire hose.

So much to learn!
... And for most people, each step of the way that first year is a novel experience and just fraught with unsurety, uncertainty, and doubt.

I’m fairly certain that in time you’ll feel that the benefits of chicken ownership far outweighs all these challenges that you’re experiencing right now.

 

[lazy gardener]

Before getting any more birds, you need to make the run secure. Your birds should have a run that is predator proof. That means: hardware cloth, it must have a skirt, and it must have a top, even bird netting will keep them from jumping the fence. If your dogs are fenced all the time, that should take care of it.

Unless you have a HUGE coop, you are going to have aggression issues if you keep them penned all day long while you are at work. General recommendation for back yard flock: 4 s.f. in coop and 10 s.f. in run per bird.

I also suggest that if your coop and run are big enough, you get 2 new birds, so you have a flock of 3. That way, if you loose an other one, you are not left with the single bird again.

 

[kwhites634]

I got two new POLs just a month ago, they started laying straight away and were settling down nicely. They have an enclosed run and an open fenced in area which I have been letting them into under supervision, as we also have 2 ex racing greyhounds. Today while I was out at work my partner let my girls out and sadly one of them decided to hop the 4 1/2ft fence to the dogs side, she didn't survive. My remaining hen has gone very quiet, refused corn and mealworms and took herself off to bed an hour early.
How do I introduce a new hen, and how quickly? I don't want more than two, the first two were raised in the same flock, would they have had time to establish a pecking order? The one I've lost was a Maran, if I replace her with another Maran would that make acceptance easier?

Marans...even singular, & chickens don't care about what breed. You're going to want to quarantine any new bird you bring in, so I'd try to do it within sight of the one you already have, but not really close; let them slowly get used to the idea of having a new "neighbor". Then house them next to one another for a week or so, with only a wire fence separating them. Locate the water source so that they can both access it. After that, they should accept one another if they're ever going to.

 

[BennienFlorrie]

Thanks for the feed back! I have an enclosed run and coop, now 18" off the ground on a platform to keep out rats, and there is an approx 220 sq ft free ranging area that has a house wall one side, an 8ft hedge and fence and a 6ft gated fence on another two sides and then-my downfall-a 4 1/2ft fence on the last side, built by my ever loving to keep the dogs out. My girls hadn't shown any interest in hopping over but I guess one got curious. We will be extending that one by another 4ft this weekend. Some good news, I rang the farm where I got my hens and they still have some birds left from the original flock, which they think will make for easier introductions. Also Bennie has perked up this evening, I mixed her some mash with a little water and she tucked in, after having eaten very little all day. Btw though I'm out at work my partner is home all day and supposedly keeps an eye on all the animals!