AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hi All,

I'm new here, and hoping you can help !

My two beloved chickens became one last weekend

Yesterday we went back to the nursery to get a friend for her as she was desperately lonely. And as they were undergoing reno's there was only a selection of 16-18wk Isa Browns left, and no adults, to bring home. My daughter couldn't leave empty handed so we bought the biggest one we could find and brought her home.

A couple of things, the new chicken now seems to have a runny nose (appeared somewhere from nursery to home) and I'm surprised because the chicken was very well inspected before they gave her to us, and the other thing is my existing chook is LOSING her mind, being VERY vocal about how upset she is.

They haven't met yet, the new chicken is sectioned off in the run with water and food.

I'd love some success stories, or advice about all of this, as I'm very new to chicken business. I think I'm going to take the new chicken back to the nursery today to see about her runny nose, and possibly get another chicken, to make three, as I've heard that it might be easier for every chook involved, and should something terrible happen to one of them we won't have a lonely chicken situation like this to face again !

Nerves from travelling can cause some reactions BUT be careful and make sure you quarantine ALL new fowls coming home NEVER put new fowls with your existing fowl. Keep an eye on the new pullet and don't forget the worm her asap

Sorry for your loss

No you are not losing it, chooks do grieve, her are some threads on my experiences on what happened when two became one.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=53927&hilit=How+Long+To+Chooks+Mourn+For

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=53851&p=240543&hilit=+Lola#p240543

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=53035&p=231591&hilit=+Lola#p231591

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52988&p=225729&hilit=+Lola#p225729

Chooks can become stressed when they are relocated and can develop colds, it its always easier introducing two new chooks and from experience always have more than two chooks as one is a lonely number when it's friend dies.

It is always important to quarantine any new chooks in a separate coop before introducing them to your existing flock.

I add chooks vitamins to the water of any new chooks, and add garlic granules to their feed.

Thank you so much !

Of course the nursery is closed today so I have been to the pet store and bought a probiotic, vitamins and some silver drops - so at least I can try to start up some recovery in the new chicken until we can do anything further. I don't think there will be any introductions this weekend.

Sadly I have already put her in the coop's run section, and didn't know that I needed to keep her separate for a quarantine period, I think she'll be staying there until I can figure out what my next move is.

Stress is what brings out diseases like the respiratory ones so hence you always quarantine for around 10-12 days. Being you only had 1 original chook then the risk is very low so not to worry sounds like you are doing all the right things so enjoy the new chooks

Thanks everyone !

I ended up taking back the young chicken, I just wasn't feeling right about it. They are getting the older (24wk) hen's in this week so I will go back and get one (or maybe two) of those as I think a more robust chicken, and someone her own size will be a better match.

That sounjds like a better solution. Maybe you should get two new ones - they'll be compnay during the quarantine period, your existing one may be less mean if there are two newbies, not just one. And, yes, I guess it prolongs the time when you will, sadly, be back to just one chicken again.

All the best