Solitary hen

nekuchi

We've had a few chickens over the last few years but we're now down to just one as our 2nd last hen died last night.
I was wondering, as chickens are really flock animals, should we get some more for company or will she survive fine on her own? She's about 3 years old, still laying and seems to be in good health.
For ourselves, we're not sure if we want more hens just yet but feel it would be unfair to leave her on her own if she needs company. I think if we were to get some more, they would be rescue hens as they would be about her age although I'm not sure how she would treat them in terms of the 'pecking order'.
Any help and advice would be most appreciated

sandydan

had one hen for three years after fox took rest,she ran around like she owned place ,loved waddling into freshly laid concrete floors that were smoothed off

btw why did they get sick , age or are they confined

Future Farmer

For the shake of 12€ would you not just get two..........

nekuchi

Hi Sandydan

Thanks for that, 24 hours later and Doris doesn't even seem to realise that her buddy has left her!!!! We've been lucky so far and have managed to stop the fox getting to them but she comes back every now and again to see if we've forgotten about her!

They all had the run of the garden so within reason they were not confined. Mavis was a pullet when we got her but only got about 15 months of eggs from her. We'd been getting 'lash egg' for the last 6 months so not sure if that was anything to do with it?

We'll see how she goes on her own for the moment I guess...

nekuchi

Hey Future Farmer

It's not just €12 - it's also the getting up at the crack of dawn in the summer to let them out of their coop, arriving late / leaving early at work in winter to stop the fox getting at them during the dark hours and also the joy of having a weekend away somewhere (we take the 'a chicken is not just for the table' motto seriously!!!!)

We enjoy having them around but once every now and again it's good to take a break and come back to the scene all fresh and enthusiastic.

solargain

I know the feeling I am down to 2 but they are sticking together like mud , if one goes to lay the other one is in the nest with her keeping her company , again the fox has taken the rest

aonb

Hens are flock birds and need companions. I guess you just have to see how it goes with this one solitary hen - seems sad that she wouldnt have even 1 companion If you got even 1 rescue hen, she would be better off?

I know what you mean about taking a break from the 'work' of hens though. Do you have a secure run? Are your hens freeranging? You can get a mechanism to open the coop door in the mornings!

looksee

I instantly have visions of the fox sitting outside the coop in the mornings, looking at his watch!

nekuchi

aonb wrote: »

You can get a mechanism to open the coop door in the mornings!

We had been thinking about this although I heard that sometimes they get stuck / don't open properly...

aonb

Ive heard good things about coop door openers, but I suppose they could get stuck or whatever on occassion. If you know or have anyone very handy with DIY, there are videos on YOUtube showing how to make them v.cheaply and easily.
You know your hens will get used to your routine, so you dont have to let them out at 'cock crow'. My elderly neighbour - VERY elderly! - doesnt let her hens out til 10-11 every a.m. :eek: and they lay very well.
Another neighbour has a REALLY secure run, the coop is inside the run. She doesnt lock her hens in at night as the run is so secure - they let themselves out of the coop in the morning, and stay in the little run til they are let out.
Lots of options!

have2flushtwice

aonb wrote: »

Ive heard good things about coop door openers, but I suppose they could get stuck or whatever on occassion. If you know or have anyone very handy with DIY, there are videos on YOUtube showing how to make them v.cheaply and easily.
You know your hens will get used to your routine, so you dont have to let them out at 'cock crow'. My elderly neighbour - VERY elderly! - doesnt let her hens out til 10-11 every a.m. :eek: and they lay very well.
Another neighbour has a REALLY secure run, the coop is inside the run. She doesnt lock her hens in at night as the run is so secure - they let themselves out of the coop in the morning, and stay in the little run til they are let out.
Lots of options!

any links?
thanks!

Sam Kade

Future Farmer wrote: »

For the shake of 12€ would you not just get two..........

€8-€9 is the value around here any dearer is overpriced

aonb

have2flushtwice wrote: »

any links?
thanks!

Check out the chicken keeping formum on DOWNTHELANE.NET - a great site for hen keepers - type in "Automatic DIY door opener"

or

http://louisesetter.blogspot.ie/2012/02/diy-automatic-coop-door-opener.html

or

go on YOUTUBE, and just type in AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER CHICKEN

The Princess Bride

aonb wrote: »

You know your hens will get used to your routine, so you dont have to let them out at 'cock crow'. My elderly neighbour - VERY elderly! - doesnt let her hens out til 10-11 every a.m. :eek: and they lay very well.
Another neighbour has a REALLY secure run, the coop is inside the run. She doesnt lock her hens in at night as the run is so secure - they let themselves out of the coop in the morning, and stay in the little run til they are let out.
Lots of options!

We have similar to this^^ they come down from their coop into a substantial run,whenever it suits them.
Then they have the run of 1.5 acres,whenever it suits us- could be 7am,could be 11am depending on what we're doing.

Happy hens,laid all through the winter months.
They lounge around with our cats & dogs.
Would never have just one though,I'd feel sad for her :-(

nekuchi

Hi guys

Thanks for all your replies and help. Just thought I'd update the thread with some news. Doris, our chicken, was doing quite well for being a solitary chicken. She did like company and in the evenings when we came home she would run up to the door and stay there on the step while we cooked away. All in all, I'd say it's not a disaster when you have only one chicken left.
The only problem is that today, I'm sad to say, the fox got her. Her feathers are everywhere! We are quite surprised at how brash the foxes are getting lately as there is usually a lot of activity behind our back garden so that keeps them away, especially on weekdays. And it must have been quite late that he got to her because she left us an egg as her parting gift. Even worse, I found out in the meantime that some of our neighbours want to save on bin charges and leave out meat scraps and bones for the foxes.
Does anyone know what can be done about foxes before we get our next chickens? We've planted some thorny bushes as a barrier but they will take a while to grow. If we catch a fox in a fox trap does it have to be released back into the wild?
I'm mad!!!

aonb

Your poor hen - what an end to her lonely life!!

you are in trouble if your neighbour is encouraging foxes about the place by leaving out food. (Dont they realize that RATS will probably be coming for the food too?!?!) :mad:

Once foxes are in the area, and know there are hens, you will have to be particularly careful about fencing the hens in securely. The run will have to have at least 6ft high wire, which should be dug in to the earth to a depth of approx 6-12". ALternatively lay paving slabs along the outside of the run. Make sure the hens can be locked in to the coop at night too. Once the winter comes, and they are hungry foxes will be a real nuisance for us hen keepers.The thorn bushes when they grow will be a help but dont rely on them. Dont take any chances with letting your hens free range.

If you trap a fox in a trap, you are required by law to release them. Is it worth that hassle - another fox will come to take over the territory once you have removed the current one!

(on the other hand, if your neighbours are leaving out enough food for the resident/current foxes, maybe you will be lucky and they wont bother your hens, since theres free food to be had at the neighbours)

nekuchi

Yeah, our run is really secure. The foxes have no chance of getting in. The only problem is that run size is limited by the fact we're in an urban area and if we have anything more than 2 hens stuck inside all day, they start picking on the lowest ranking and peck away at her out of boredom. So they either enjoy their time outside with the risk of foxes taking them or they stay inside knowing that one of them will be pecked to death.

Six of one or half a dozen of the other...

aonb

yes, that is always the dilemma - pen them in with the problems related to an inadequate run, or take the chance of the fox getting them but the hens having some decent quality of life. We went through a phase of taking our chances with the hens/foxes for a few years - we were lucky and the hens never got 'foxed'.