Does she need a friend?

[Squizz]

I've had chickens since March, 1 RIR x, 2 white leghorn x and 1 cuckoo maran.
Christie the cuckoo maran is at the bottom of the pecking order, she's shy and spends most of the time on her own I was wondering if another cuckoo maran would keep her company or make things worse. (This has nothing to do with wanting more) I would love some advice please, thanks

[Nicos]

why not get a couple more youngsters- she might not be at the bottom of the pecking order then!!!
...just a thought!

[Squizz]

I've been intouch with someone who will have some cuckoo marans ready in 2 weeks. I'm tempted!

[Nicos]

yeh...go for it!!!

I'm getting 3 black Marans in November...thought it'd be sooner- but these are old gals who are reducing their laying and being sold on for meat!!! Needless to say mine are going to be retired chez moi.

I understood that Marans can be quite unsociable ..don't like being handled..and are quite lazy????I might be quite wrong but this is what I am expecting

[HayleyB]

Cookie our Cuckoo has come around since she started laying.

I would go for two as then they would both be at the bottom of the pecking order, it is also likely the Whites are racist - honest - not pulling your leg.......

[CoraxAurata]

My homebred marans eat out of my hand, and apart from the cockerels they all get on with each other and the OrpsandDorks too, some of them are flightier but I think if I had less (so the shy one could get a chance to see what good things I have) they would tame down too. (they all come running when I whistle too!

[HayleyB]

I don't have to whistle I only have to appear at the gate........

[Squizz]

Cookie our Cuckoo has come around since she started laying.

I would go for two as then they would both be at the bottom of the pecking order, it is also likely the Whites are racist - honest - not pulling your leg.......

Yes HalyleyB the whites are a little anti-anything-non-white!!

[HayleyB]

Funny isn't it, I find my brownies stick together, the two banties are in their own little planet, anything grey seems to join up with the blacks, and then there are the Ambers which my white leghorn has an allegiance with.

[RichmondHens]

I have one cuckoo maran in a sea of Welsummers and various crosses. She's definitely low down the pecking order so it's possibly a breed/character trait.

[Hilary B]

There is nothing unusual in animals and birds preferring others like themselves (or like they are used to). Someone did research on quail, concerning preferred mates. They found that most quail wanted to mate with their first cousins......

Purely on my own observation (several years ago) I used to spend dinner breaks watching pigeons 'courting' in the local park while eating my sandwiches (yes, sharing the crusts with the pigeons, it was legal then!) There were at least 4 distinct colour-patterns (normal-grey, pink, dark, or with a lot of white on), and most of the ones engaged in courting behaviour, both birds were the same colour-type

[Flummery]

Definitely get 2! It's not fair to introduce a single hen. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it - for when I want more!

[tricky]

Definitely get 2! It's not fair to introduce a single hen. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it - for when I want more!

good theory Flum , i shall be adding two to my three soon , ex bats of course.