Locking Bar Eglu Classic

[Martyn]

Our Sussex White hen (May) is now alone in the Eggcube, pen and garden after the sad demise of her 2 companions. Reasons for their demise, separated by a month, is not known, other than that neither were ever as robust or as good a layers as May - she is a real feisty and healthy bird.

Does anyone out there have perhaps one spare hen they could provide (happy to pay if necessary) to give May company? We are in Benson, Oxfordshire if that is of help....

 

Martyn

Edited November 23, 2010 by Guest

[clueless chick]

I had a lonely chicken Pearl after her 2 companions died.

We bought 2 lovely Warrens to keep her company but it

didnt work out as well as expected. After keeping them seperate

for a few weeks and gradually introducing everything seemed okay

but now they have started to lay Pearl has decided they are not sharing

the cube run or garden anymore she has taken a massive dislike to them.

 

Maybe I have been just unlucky but a friend had a similar experience and now

has 2 seperate flocks which will not tolerate each other.

 

Pearl has always been the fiesty one as well.

 

Hope I havent worried you but I thought I had best warn you.

[Egluntyne]

Have you thought about looking for a breeder locally?

 

A free hen is a bit of a big ask when you are new to the forum.

[Martyn]

I had a lonely chicken Pearl after her 2 companions died.

We bought 2 lovely Warrens to keep her company but it

didnt work out as well as expected. After keeping them seperate

for a few weeks and gradually introducing everything seemed okay

but now they have started to lay Pearl has decided they are not sharing

the cube run or garden anymore she has taken a massive dislike to them.

 

Maybe I have been just unlucky but a friend had a similar experience and now

has 2 seperate flocks which will not tolerate each other.

 

Pearl has always been the fiesty one as well.

 

Hope I havent worried you but I thought I had best warn you.

 

Many thanks for the information. It doesn't worry me that it might not work but certainly gives me a different slant on it. I was worried about the long-term effects of May being alone - she seems happy enough but I thought maybe unfair on her. We will watch her and see how she gets on over the next couple of weeks and if she remains settled and OK will probably not risk introducing more hens into her pen. When the weather is not too cold she is out in the garden and shares it with our 2 cats - sort of company for her, though they tend to keep their distance!

Thanks again, regards, Martyn

[Martyn]

Have you thought about looking for a breeder locally?

 

A free hen is a bit of a big ask when you are new to the forum.

 

You must have missed the bit where I said was happy to pay.

 

Been registered on the forum several years now.... Thanks for comment.

[Redwing]

Many places wont sell a single hen but try these people if you can travel a little way, they are very helpful

 

http://www.acornplants.co.uk/

[sgoard]

Hi There,

 

We're in the same boat with a solitary chook - was gonna do a lonely hearts advert for her but having been trawling the forum etc I see that introducing new hens is a bit more technical than that! Would be interested to hear how you get on - we are thinking of some ex batts but need to sort out some kind of quarantine before introduction housing...........good luck!

[Egluntyne]

Have you thought about looking for a breeder locally?

 

A free hen is a bit of a big ask when you are new to the forum.

 

You must have missed the bit where I said was happy to pay.

 

Been registered on the forum several years now.... Thanks for comment.

 

 

It was your first post, and the words 'if necessary' indicated that you were hoping not to have to. It was, in any case, a most unusual request.

 

If you'd care to take a moment to look in the faq section, you will notice that soliciting goods or services for payment, and the rehoming of animals via the forum are not permitted.

 

The Omlet Marketplace is the place too look if you wish to purchase a hen.

[sgoard]

I think that was a bit uncalled for!

[C&T]

To provide another point of view, we were left with one lone hen, and got her a couple of friends. Speaking to the guys at the place we got her (nowhere near you - sorry!!) we explained the situation, and they helped us choose a couple of POL chooks that while not too bulshy, were old enough and big enough to stand up to our existing 2.5yr old hen if needed. They (like on here) recomended 2 new hens, so the old hen is outnumbered and can't bully both at the same time.

 

We brought them home, ready for the worst, with seperate run and housing all ready for use. Released the two newbies in the garden, and old Fred wondered over to have a look - and was dust bathing with them within an hour or so. Fred was very vocal when they were all shut in the run, and wasn't keen on then sharing the coop itself, but no blood was drawn, multiple food and water stations meant they could all eat with no issues, and within a week they were pretty well bonded.

 

BUT: I would not recomend mixing the new chooks without a quarantine period if possible. A very small garden meant we took a risk - but recognised this as a risk and went to a reputable breeder to minimise it. We were still lucky though! Also, I wouldn't do it without a plan to either split the run or have a seperate run, and seperate "coop" ready. Having the option means you can do whats best for your chooks at the time, and ensure no emergency traumas!

 

Good luck, with whatever you do, and hope it works out for you and your existing chook!

[Plum]

I think that was a bit uncalled for!

 

Egluntyne's a mod she was being helpful and she has to keep us in order

[Christian]

I would always recommend adding 2 hens to a lone one. That way you aren't left with a lone hen in future.

 

It also means you can keep adding multiples

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

Have you thought about looking for a breeder locally?

 

A free hen is a bit of a big ask when you are new to the forum.

 

I'm old, can I have a Hen seriously though, I do need to replace my fox killed hen as Cilla will get lonely. I'll pop to the farm in a week or so...

[Martyn]

Many places wont sell a single hen but try these people if you can travel a little way, they are very helpful

 

http://www.acornplants.co.uk/

 

Many thanks for the information. I have been told of someone not too far from Benson, so will try there first.

 

Kind of you to respond, thanks,

 

Martyn

[Martyn]

Hi There,

 

We're in the same boat with a solitary chook - was gonna do a lonely hearts advert for her but having been trawling the forum etc I see that introducing new hens is a bit more technical than that! Would be interested to hear how you get on - we are thinking of some ex batts but need to sort out some kind of quarantine before introduction housing...........good luck!

 

Thanks for the message. I, too, have been looking up things about introducing a new hen to one that has now been alone for a couple of weeks and have doubts. May seems happy enough but now treats big birds that drop into the garden when she is running free very aggressively and today twice attacked a visiting crow and saw it off.

So now not sure if it will be a good idea to bring another in and will leave it for a while to see how she gets on.

 

Regards....

[Martyn]

I would always recommend adding 2 hens to a lone one. That way you aren't left with a lone hen in future.

 

It also means you can keep adding multiples

 

I wondered about that, so thanks for the advice. We have always got 3 in at a time, which until recently worked fine, the survivor last time adding to my son'e collections in Bath. Regards....

[clueless chick]

Pearl also has become very agressive with the local birds where

before she would sit under their table hoping they would scatter seeds.

Spoke to our local vet and she thinks Pearl is stressed out.

I thought being without company was cruel but I seemed to

have stressed her now.

Told in our local pub that a lady in the next village has had a lone hen

and still laying occasionally for a few years now

[clueless chick]

The chicken is still laying not the lady.

 

But still her chicken seems happy enough.

 

Fingers crossed for you Martyn hope all goes well.

[Patricia W]

Martyn

 

I'm in Abingdon not far from you. I don't have a spare hen, but do know some local suppliers if you want to pm me. I'd get a couple more personally ( a bit younger) as it's much easier for introductions. She will be aggressive at first, but will get over it and enjoy the company ( and warmth in this cold weather).

 

Hope this helps

 

Tricia

[Egghead68]

I got two big POL hydrids to accompany my lone bantam. We introduced them very slowly (they were shut in the eglu run while she free-ranged around them for a week, trying to peck them through the bars!), then they free-ranged in the day together, sleeping separately at night, then they all went in the run together. Nine months on and they are inseparable. The tiny bantam is still in charge though even though the others are three times her size!

 

As long as you take your time over the introductions I think it should be fine and your hen will be glad of the company.

[Chortle Chook]

I have an aunt who at one point had one lone ex-bat who was white in colour. This lone chicken became best buddies with a large white rabbit and a tabby cat. They used to go everywhere together. It was sweet to watch but shows, perhaps, that a lone chicken could be introduced to another species for company. Just a thought. Others may know if this is a one off or would work well.

[Reikiranf]

I was left with one girl at the beginning of this year and due to personal circumstances couldn't get her any companios for a few months, Lulu loved being an only chook and sleeping in the conservatory at night and was an absolute moo to her new companions when we first got them but I knew all was well when after 2 weeks I saw Lulu stand still and let Fifi clean her beak And now it's as if they've always been together.

 

I got two new girls as my plan is that when I'm down to two again I shall get another couple so I'm never left with one lonesome girl as I think Lulu enjoyed it a bit too much and became a bit of a diva Good luck and I hope you get some new girls soon.