What to do when down to one hen

[dannyd21]

Hi everyone. I have two chickens left possibly soon to be one since golden comets unfortunately don't live too long What do should I do when I'm down to the last one? She's a shy hen who was the bottom of the pecking order of the original flock. She does very well with the human family and will follow and hang around us.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Either go on Craigslist or the Humane Society and adopt a couple more (quarantining appropriately) or loan her to a friend and take a vacation away from daily obligations. Get her back when you return.

 

[dannyd21]

Either go on Craigslist or the Humane Society and adopt a couple more (quarantining appropriately) or loan her to a friend and take a vacation away from daily obligations. Get her back when you return.

I dont have a separate area for quarantining any advice?

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can add a couple of new friends, whether chicks from a reputable source (so quarantine won't be necessary) or adults (which was mentioned above). Or if you've decided that you do not want to keep chickens past that point, you can rehome her instead, or keep her as a solo pet provided that you can spend time with her daily so that she isn't completely alone.

 

[dannyd21]

Would adding chicks be dangerous for the chicks? She's by no means an aggressive hen since she has always been on the bottom pecking order, but wouldn't that change? As for solo pets, could you elaborate more on how that would be possible and how to best do it?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Would adding chicks be dangerous for the chicks? She's by no means an aggressive hen since she has always been on the bottom pecking order, but wouldn't that change? As for solo pets, could you elaborate more on how that would be possible and how to best do it?

Depends on how you plan on handling integration for chicks. Having ample space and resources is always a helpful buffer, and I brood chicks in view of the adults so the chicks begin integrating in while tiny and not viewed as a threat by adult birds. As a solo bird you at least won't have to worry about her teaming up with other hens against chicks, but low ranked hens are often more aggressive to chicks than high ranked birds, so it's hard to say how she'll react.

As far as keeping her solo it'd be no different than having any other pet that depends on humans for socializing, i.e. outdoor dog. I don't know how much time you have to spend with her daily but having a routine where she knows when she can expect to see you, and maybe some enrichment whether it's a little free range time or piles of dried leaves to dig through. Some folks might even bring the chicken indoors (though I personally wouldn't want to).

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Would adding chicks be dangerous for the chicks? She's by no means an aggressive hen since she has always been on the bottom pecking order, but wouldn't that change? As for solo pets, could you elaborate more on how that would be possible and how to best do it?

In my experience, a lone adult or growing bird of any sex, after being alone for a bit of time will adopt chicks after a day or two of shock. Wait till the chicks are ambulatory. At least 3 days old.
A person with chickens should always have a place to quarantine. It doesn't have to be fancy, a basement, garage, storage shed, spare room, whatever but ideally a small coop. You never know when you'll have a sick or injured bird that needs isolation, not to mention a new bird.
While you are down to one bird is a good time to make that plan.