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hammy72

Lone Hen - how long will she cope

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Sadly this evening I have had to say goodbye to my original hen Snowflake who was 5 1/2 years old. After a bout of illness a month ago I treated her and then she enjoyed her final month at our new home and garden but started to go downhill again yesterday. So I am now left with a lone hen who is 2 years old and wanted to know how long I can leave her before deciding what to do about companions.

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It's impossible to say really as it depends on the individual. Some hens will be happy on their own forever but I think this is the exception rather than the rule.

 

I would think she'll be fine for a few days or weeks while you decide what to do, but just keep an eye on her for behavioural changes that might suggest she's unhappy.

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Pretty unusual for a solitary hen to cope with it. When our neighbour lost all his except one to a fox the survivor went downhill over two weeks to the point that she was in a 'trance' and stopped eating. He rushed out and bought two companions and she was back to normal in a few days.

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Our neighbour did the same as Mullethunter's mum. The two POLs went straight from the boot of his car into the run with no need for introductions as the older hen in her own territory immediately became top hen and knocked the two youngsters into shape.

 

These were all immunised hybrids, something that needs to be considered. Strictly speaking they should have been quarantined for two weeks, but as the lone hen was going to die soon anyway there was no real risk to her health.

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The chicken I adopted last year, I think would have been better left On her own. Despite very careful intros along with another 2 pols, she is still a lone chicken. She did pal up for a short time with my other skyline, but more often than not she is by herself (with another 10 chickens just around her)....she is aloof. She spent 3 months by herself and I think got used to being a solitary chicken. She is normally last to come in from free ranging, I just think she doesn't enjoy the others company. :(

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Just to update, she had 4 months on her own and seemed happy, pottering around the garden and sitting in plant pots but in the last few days became very unwell, which the vet thinks might have been a tumour in her stomach, so we said goodbye to Rosie Hen last night and she's off to the big chicken coop in the sky to join her pal Snowflake.

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