Chickens are very social animals. They have evolved to live in flocks and are happiest when kept with other chickens.
There are few circ*mstances in which it is okay to keep a chicken for yourself. Of course, chickens sometimes need to be isolated when they are sick or broody, but these short periods are very different from keeping just one chicken!
Do chickens get lonely?
Chickens probably don't experience loneliness in the same way that you and I do. But they experience isolation.
In the wild,Rode junglehoenders, ancestors of chickens, live in small flocks. Although they sometimes spend time alone, they are always close enough to the flock to hear the rooster crow.
As prey, the presence of the flock for chickens is very important for safety and security.A studyfound isolation to reduce foraging behavior in chicks, presumably due to the increased vigilance required when alone.
Anyone who has ever observed their chickens knows that chickens are very social. They have complex relationships ranging from BFFs to enemies and enemies. Chickens can even mourn the loss of a companion.
Although some chicks are less interested in making friends, even these birds will stay with the flock at night and rarely stray out of calling distance. Regardless of their personality, chickens will experience anxiety when removed from the flock.
How does insulation affect chickens?
Scientists agree on thischickens experience stress when they are isolated.
Isolation can lead to symptoms such as:
- Plucking feathers
- emergency call
- Decreased egg production
- lethargy
- Poor appetite and weight loss
- Failure to exhibit normal behavior, such as foraging or dust bathing
- General poor health
- Increased susceptibility to parasites and diseases
Young chicks are especially affected by isolation. In fact, many scientific studies on the effects of stress use social isolation as a catalyst for causing stress! Isolation like a chicken can have an influencelong term developmentincludedspatial memory and learning.
Can I only have one chicken?
Never buy just one chicken.
Chickens should be kept with others. If you can only keep one chicken, you shouldn't have any chickens at all. Instead, wait to buy chickens until you can keep at least 2 chickens, or better yet, 3.
Even if you already have a flock, it's best to buy at least 2 chicks at a time if possible. This means that the new bird is not alone during thequarantaineperiode. Also,introduces more birds into the flocktogether is often easier and less bloody than introducing one bird alone.
Staff! I only have one chicken
Keeping a chicken alone is worse than keeping one chicken! Chickens in particular find it annoying to be kept alone. Isolation like a chicken can causelong-term behavioral changesand other questions.
Never buy just one chicken to raise. Even if you have a herd that the cub can join when it reaches adulthood, you should always raise at least two cubs together.
Sometimes if the hatch is bad, you may only be left with one chick. A single chick raised by a mother hen is fine, but a single chick in an incubator is not okay. If you only have one chick, give it to someone with chicks of the same age or get a companion of the same age as soon as possible!
When should a chicken be kept alone?
Sometimes chicks need to be isolated from the flock for a short period of time. But there are steps you can take to ensure this isolation for the chicken is as stress-free as possible.
Sitting chickens
Sitting hens often isolate themselves from the flock. If you have a sitting hen, it is best to move her out of the main coop, but if you can keep her within sight of the rest of the flock, for example in a smaller chicken coop, she will feel more secure.
Breeding chickens
Breeding chickenscan be put in a Broody Breaking Box to cure them of cruelty. Again, it is best if this cage is in the hutch or run.
Sick and injured chickens
Sick and injured birds should always be isolated from the flock. In a separate cage, sick chickens are easier to treat and it prevents other chickens from pecking at them. Injured birds can be kept in a hospital cage in the garden or kept in the run, but sick birds should be kept away from the flock to prevent the disease from spreading. It is always preferable to be within earshot of the pack. When the chick is about to be laid, make sure the chick has access to foraging and dust bathing so the chick can cope with the isolation.
Chickens with spread legsmust be separated from their brethren during treatment to prevent further injury. But chickens are particularly stressed by isolation, so we like to provide a mate and keep them within earshot or sight of the other chickens.
New chickens
New chicks can carry diseases and that should always be the casein quarantainefar away from the chicken coop to protect the health of your flock. We recommend purchasing at least 2 chickens, quarantining them together and providing plenty of themboredom busters!
What to do if you lose your flock
Sometimes a chicken coop can hold only one chicken. If you are left with only one bird, in most cases the best option is to take another chicken as a companion or house the bird with another flock. This is especially true for younger chickens.
But sometimes you are unable to get or relocate another chick. This is especially true if your flock has been lost in a disease outbreak and the surviving bird may be a carrier of the disease.
Chicken keepers also occasionally choose not to replace their chickens as they get older, ultimately leaving them with just one bird.
Factors that influence the loneliness of chickens
Sometimes, just occasionally, it can be a friendlier choice to keep just one chicken alone. But this depends on the following factors, as some chickens can handle loneliness better than others:
1. The age of the bird
Chickens always need company. For younger birds that are more adaptable, it seems unkind to keep them alone for years.
However, it is very stressful for chickens to join a new flock and have to find their place in the pecking order. An older bird may find the transition more difficult than simply staying in a familiar environment, even if it means being alone.
2. How humanized the chicken is
A chicken that is shy and avoids people is less likely to cope with isolation than a chicken that is more like a pet, because for most solitary chickens, people and pets become their replacement flock.
3. The chicken's relationships
Some chickens have such a close relationship with people that losing their flock is not a problem. We once adopted a chicken named Penny who was a real pet. Penny's owners gave her a lot of attention, especially after their other chickens died. Penny joined our flock, but she was much more interested in being petted and following us than she ever was with the other chicks! Penny had the kind of relationships with people that meant she had no problem being left without a pack.
Chickens can also develop close relationships with other animals, such as ducks and other poultry, dogs, pets and livestock. Although these conditions should not replace a flock, some hens e.gLady Bird in this New Yorker article, manage to live alone by finding a replacement herd of other animals.
Even chicks that have found a replacement flock can become stressed if they are expected to roost alone. Make sure your chickens have a place to sleep with their "flock" at night.
4. The chicken's personality
Each chicken has a unique personality that affects how well it handles being alone.
For example, we have a chicken named Road Runner. She doesn't care much about other birds and spends the day eating alone. You rarely see her with any of the other hens.
While Road Runner would undoubtedly be sad if there were no other chickens around while she's staying with them, she has a personality that means she can handle being alone better than a chicken that sends out a distress call as soon as they're gone. out of sight of the others!
Should you keep a chicken alone?
If you have only one chicken, think carefully about whether he is likely to be the only chicken (or rooster), and how much attention you can give him. If in doubt, seriously consider rehoming or purchasing another bird.
Never keep one chicken alone. We also strongly recommend rehoming birds under 2 or 3 years old for most hybrids and 5-7 years old for most heritage breeds.
If you keep a chicken alone, watch for signs of stress, such as feather plucking, loss of appetite, lethargy, decreased egg laying, distress calls, failure to exhibit normal behavior, etc. If your chicken shows signs of stress, this is for best . you just have to rehome it or find it as a friend!
Happy chicken team!
Rachael has dinner at Chook Australia
