I have a dilemna ...dillemma...dilemina.....problem....

[Jardiniere]

I only have one chicken left and she is lonely (I presume)
I cant get any more as my neighbours who looked after them when i went away have moved and their house is now a gite (holiday home).
So i will need to give her away...I was going to give the two of them away but ginger died last week bless her little cotton bottom....
so Fleckneck ...so called because she has a flecked neck....has been offered a new home by friends up the valley who already have 6 younger chickens..
now my chicken is about 3 years old ...would it be better to move her to her new home or leave her all on her own knowing that every time i go away she will be locked into a very small run all on her own and probably only fed three times a week (going away end of Oct for a week then again at least 10 days at Xmas)She is used to free ranging all over the garden in her new home up t'valley she'd be free ranging too.....
What do you think? Give her way where she could be hen pecked for a while (She was alpha bird here) or keep her all on her own locked in for up to 10 days sometimes?

[Glutton4...]

New home. Deffo. (HUG) to you both!

[RichmondHens]

Give her to your friends so she has a similar lifestyle to the one she has now. Leaving her on her own would stress her too much. Yes there will be the inevitable shaking down of the pecking order but this will sort itself out. If she was top hen at yours then she obviously has a pretty dominant personality so may not suffer too much being a newbie at your friends.

[frias]

I'd go for new home. I'm sure you would be worried sick about leaving her alone. If she's free ranging in her new home she'll be able to get away from any bullying if there is any.

[baldrick]

Agree.....unless....if she really does get hammered could you get a collapsible run and coop to take to your friends just when you go away? I realise chooks are flock animals, but then dogs are pack animals and horses are herd animals. Both species are happy with mental stimulation and lots (I mean LOTS) of human company. Lots of human company tends to make all animals resistant to the stresses of change in a way more "natural" kept creatures are not. I was expecting my silkies to get mega stressed over their move to the new run and the accidental cockerel's move to his new home, but no. It would appear that cuddles and attention act as a kind of vaccination against change related stress. Dogs and horses are the same. Well handled animals move round daily, go on holiday and all sorts. Good luck whatever you choose. x

[jessmorris]

I would move her, and visit when you can....JM

[Jardiniere]

dear everyone
thanks for the advice
i'll move her over the next two weeks

[angelat]

hi,

i really sympathise with you as i have been in the same boat recently. My hen died and left my other one alone and i was so sad to watch the lonely hen walking around on her own. i too had the dilemma as to wether to rehome or get another. i got a rescue hen the same age as my girl so they are roughly the same age.

In your situation i would rehome, even though they appear not lonely they do eventually get depressed and its not fair to them. as someone else said if your hen is top hen she probably wouldnt have too much problem with the pecking order and settling in with the others. you would be doing the right thing in my opinion.

good luck to you both

[Hilary B]

If her potential new friends are all younger I reckon she will be boss again within a couple of months!

[Jardiniere]

She went today ..waited til dusk..popped her in a box and drove her up the valley to her new home just the other side of St.Cirq Lapopie....
put her in the roosting box, she wont meet the others til the morning...and they have a new cockerel so hopefully he will protect her from being too hen pecked....and there are six cats, a dog and a goat..
I'm sad because i've been keeping chickens for about 4 years and it will be odd without them...
got to move the run , roost box and nest box tomorrow (am keeping them just in case i get new neighbours who like chickens) but will store in the garage(the equipment not the neighbours)

[nellie-m]

Well done - I would have done the same. I bet it's way too quiet for you now, but your hen will be fine after a couple of days, I'm sure! And you can always visit her and have a little hen party

[BUFFS]

well done,she will adjust but it will seem quiet for a few weeks,but worth it for her contentment..