Single hen

[Minky]

I am so in love with my hens and I rrrrreally want to get another little girl to go with my two. I fancy a Speckledy . . . but this is beside the point - what I really want to know is how well do hens take to a new bird?

 

More importantly my little Maude has a wonkey leg, it kept bothering me even tho she'd always had it and in the end I took her to the vet and it was confirmed as an inherited deformity but she's otherwise healthy and happy.

 

It doesn't seem to worry Maude or cause her pain etc but it means she's abit wobbly on her feet and sits around the garden alot more than Hilda, it also means if Hilda pushes past her she sometimes get's knocked over. Despite this there is no bullying going on between the girls, but if there's a real chance a new hen changing the balance may mean Maude getting picked on I don't think it would be fair on Maudey and I wouldn't do it.

 

Any feedback much appreciated!

[cookie6279]

well I would say go for it we originally had three chickens then we got another one a bluebell but they will peck at first this is to establish the pecking order

but there are ways round it some forum members put the new hen in the coop at night with the others or if they are in the run putting some netting up as a barrier so you can break them in gently but make sure you have seperate food and water for the new hen or some people just let the sort it out them selves which i did but I did not like the bullying but I got some bumper bits and it stops the pecking and they get along fine now if you wants some I can post some to you no bloblem at all just see how it goes first hope this helps

[Sarah 2]

It's supposed to be easier to introduce 2 hens. Because they look after each other.

 

But my experience was introducing one at a time. It went ok but I think they're would have been a lot more pecking if they didn't free range nearly all day. That definitely helps. I also asked the breeder that if it didn't go ok if I could take the chicken back. So maybe that's an option.

 

What worked for us was to put the new chicken in the run while the others free ranged. Then took her out when it was bed time and put her through the egg port once the others were roosting.

 

Maybe get another food station so she'll be able to eat.

[chocolatefudge]

We were told it's better for the new hens to out number the existing, but I can't really see the point, surely it's better the other way round?