Eglu Cube Coop For Sale

[Eggshell]

I have just had to despatch a sick chicken which, thankfully, was very quick and simple although emotionally difficult. However, I now have one solitary 4-year-old chicken left. I can’t get another at this stage as we are likely to be moving to rented accommodation away from the area this summer, and although a friend was perhaps willing to take on the two hens, I don’t think she will want to take on the longer commitment of a new young chicken, and I’m not sure that the stress of both moving and acclimatising to a new companion would be kind to my chicken either. I don’t want to hand her over to someone who might just throw her in with a flock to sink or swim - she’s a small chicken and (I’m assuming) wouldn’t have much status arriving on her own, no longer laying. It seems like the most humane thing might be to cull her as well, but I don’t know if that would be wrong. Advice gratefully received.

[Tface]

Solidarity, I have arrived in the same situation today too. 

I came across your post whilst searching for ways to keep a single hen warm at night now her flock isn't around. 

I'm not able to add in anymore Chickens to keep her company & the lone hen (4 year old, Isa Brown) is my son's favourite so it's a really tricky situation.

I'm personally thinking of giving it a week or so & seeing if anyone else in our local area is in the same boat that would like to adopt her so they can retire together in partnership. I would definitely be vetting the situation carefully first to make sure the intentions are sound & she would be cared for well. 

Hope you find a resolution that suits your situation & hens wellbeing too : )

[Beantree]

A difficult decision Eggshell, but straightforward when, as you have done, think of the welfare of the chicken first and put your own sentiments to the background. Yes, sending a fragile little chicken to an established flock spells disaster, because she will spend the remainder of her life being bullied, potentially injured and constantly in fear. The only chance for a decent life is to find another owner with a single chicken. We have recently moved one who was being badly bullied and put her near a single hen. They bonded quickly and are now wandering about the place in complete freedom- chicken heaven! We accept there is a predator risk, but at least they have had a nice life in the meantime. Despite being much larger the newbie is the bottom of the pair, which is to be expected when one, or even a pair, enter an established territory.

Buying another single hen and moving the bonded pair together may well be successful, so worth more thought I think?

[Eggshell]

I don’t suppose there’s anyone on here from the Oxfordshire area with a solitary hen needing a companion?

[Kimberly1]

Let me chime in here if I may. We had a hen who was bullied so badly that her eye was pecked out. We moved her into our home, and she was quite content roaming the two rooms and hallway we allocated to her. I will add that she slept with my daughter’s pet rabbit and was tolerant of our German Shepherd. He guarded her fiercely after she lost her eye, and I think she thought he was overly protective. We did occasionally try to have her engage with hens in our flock who had been non threatening, but they all turned on her as well. Both she and the rabbit died within weeks of one another, but she had a happy 4 years being an indoor chicken (she and the rabbit were both 9 when they passed). I’m simply mentioning this because not all chickens are doomed without a flock. I think knowing she was safe and loved is what helped her. That being said, we lost our second to the last hen 3 days ago. I’m now down to our very last chicken. She’s 6 and desperately wants to be social, but has always been the lowest chicken in ranking. She’s actually the hen who instigated taking out the eye of my other girl, all because of jealousy. We’ve moved this last hen into the house, but she’s not doing much of anything. I can’t emotionally deal with getting anymore chickens at this point, and I know my last little girl will probably be a brute to a new hen, so it’ll be interesting to see if she comes around as the one eyed hen did, or not.