Will my Hen be too Lonely?

[r1forb]

I have 2 Turkens I've raised since they were just about 2.5 weeks old. I purchased them from someone who planned to breed them to sell the chicks at farmers markets and unexpectedly had to move somewhere she could not take Roo's. I'm now realizing having a Rooster is just NOT for me OR my neighbors

, lol but with as much work as I have put into them I was really hoping to breed them and keep a few chicks especially after reading time and again how many people rave about Turkens.
Unfortunately at 5 mos she has not started laying yet and my patience has worn thin with the Roo. We have built him temp. housing inside our garage so the neighbors can no longer hear him but my question is this ......how much will this effect my hen? They have been together since they hatched? She seems fairly upset. He doesn't seem to care at all (lol). I have been bringing her in to visit a few hours a day. I'm trying to do whatever will be the least stressful for her as I was really hoping for "that 1st egg". I am a newbie to chickens and I have read a million things and done lots of research but I'm guessing somebody with experience will have something more insightful for me. I thought I should run out and get her a friend and then read I need to quarantine for 30 days so that won't help. Fred's temp housing is really for my chicks ....I plan to incubate some eggs but clearly that is no help to Ethyl now. Yes they are named Fred & Ethyl

.
Any thoughts on how this separation is/will effect my hen and what I should be doing?
As I said I was hoping to keep him around long enough to get some fertile eggs but my sanity may not last that long and then she will be the only one ....not even a roo to come visit in the garage

and as I finish this Fred is crowing away in the garage .....

 

[DuckyLou]

Well maybe it's the name Ethel!!!! I have a red star hen that has yet to lay me an egg and her name is Ethel too!! Lol

 

[cary 1973]

I am a little confused are you tring to breed a male turkey with a female chicken?

 

[r1forb]

 

[r1forb]

Well maybe it's the name Ethel!!!! I have a red star hen that has yet to lay me an egg and her name is Ethel too!! Lol

My husband just said we should both try re- naming them "Lady of the Egg"

 

[BigECarter]

Can you buy some turken eggs to incubate? Or chicks. That way you don't have to wait to rehome Fred. It would cost more but at least you would have your sanity back.

 

[r1forb]

Can you buy some turken eggs to incubate? Or chicks. That way you don't have to wait to rehome Fred. It would cost more but at least you would have your sanity back.

Yes I certainly could. Actually I'm planning to incubate some Black Copper Marans. I was only trying to hold on to Fred because I wanted some of Ethyl's chicks....not just any Turkens. AND as I said I'm wondering how she is going to do all alone. Nobody has said anything about that

. Right now they are all I have, so when I re-home Fred she will be alone for the 1st time and even if I went out and got her a "friend" I know I need to quarantine for 30 days and then they may not like each other! lol. Does anybody have experience having only 1 hen? As I said previously, these 2 have been together since they hatched.

 

[Gallina Sarda]

I am very new to chicken ownership, but it seems to me that chickens "need" to be part of a flock and are not naturally solitary creatures. According to the book, Rasing Chickens for Dummies, you should have at least two chickens to start off with. I understand your concern for adding new members though as far as the qurantine period. Could you find Ethel a couple of friends that could be quarantined but still within her eyesight? I'm not sure how far apart they have to be to be considered quarantined, but that might be an option. Good luck!

 

[DuckyLou]

Lady of the egg! Lol maybe so! As to your question about being lonely , my opinion would be yes, she would be lonely. I think you need to have a least one more in with her, Birds of a feather flock together!

 

[BigECarter]

I don't have chickens so have no experience to offer. You say that Ethyl is upset - I think you are in the best position to know if she is adjusting to being a solitary bird and just how upset she is. She is already essentially a solitary bird. Fred is not going back into the yard. So it sounds to me like you should start a quarantine for another bird or two. Spend extra time with Ethyl, maybe get a diaper and let her be a house chicken for a couple of hours a day.

Do you have room for Fred and quarantined hens?