[wayfarer]

Following a fox visit I have lost 6 out of 8 of my chickens.  One broody was elsewhere safely in an Eglu but the remaining chicken must have been caught up in the carnage and took refuge in the coop.  I found her looking very shocked inside the coop.  Since then I have put her outside in a safe run but she has drunk and then gone back inside.  I know they like company but what would be the best thing to do?

The broody won't hatch her eggs for another 2 weeks so isn't active at the moment.  I could put the remaining chicken in with the broody, try and get another chicken to keep her company but she isn't vaccinated so I can't get a POL hybrid style or wait until the broody has hatched her chicks and they are old enough to go in with her?  Thoughts please.

[Perris]

sorry for your losses; horrible thing to happen.
How big is your Eglu, and in particular, has it more than one nest box? And why can't you wait for the eggs to hatch? 2 weeks is not long really. If there is a free nest box in the Eglu, I'd put the survivor with the broody; the latter may not be much company for a fortnight, but the survivor would know she was there and they'd be together through the night, and there would be a real flock again soon, and the chicks would be integrated from hatch. It seems simpler than trying to get and integrate new birds, which ought to be quarantined for at least 2 weeks anyway, so wouldn't provide instant company.

[Eve]

If:


- the survivor is known to be gentle with chicks (you can’t risk her attacking the chicks, some adult birds do)
- the survivor and the broody got along before the loss of the others
- the broody doesn’t mind company (first timers can be more nervous about letting others near)


then I’d try putting them together. 


If not, then as close together as possible so they keep being familiar with each other, e.g. survivor’s coop next to eglu. Two weeks will pass soon enough.

[ellied]

I had an attack last May and lost all but 6 hens   Decided to rehome these temporarily to avoid second attack but one escaped durnig loading and has been feral on her own in the garden ever since.  The other 5 settled so well I left them where they were being kept as she wanted them.  The lone hen is quite happy doing her thing, potters about with the cats and started laying again this spring tho she has since gone broody and is sitting eggs that have no chance of being fertile but I hadn't the heart to push her off and don't need exactly rely on her commercial input any more

So I'd leave them where they're happy until the chicks are hatched, not sure putting a second hen in with a protective broody would be a happy outcome for either.  2 weeks she'll settle, the broody will bring her brood back to the main coop when ready and then let nature take its course as the hens will know each other and be relatively settled.  Just my 2p worth and as it's been a while since the post you probably did whatever yu were going to do by now anyway