Do Chickens Get Lonely? Can You Keep Just One Chicken?

Create your own chicken drinker with our Automatic Water Cups, designed to effortlessly attach to any food-safe bucket or tub. Enjoy a straightforward and hassle-free installation process. These cups are suitable for all types of poultry.

· Self-refilling Cups: Ensure a constant water supply without any extra effort

· No Training Required: Your chooks will adapt to these cups effortlessly

· Universal Attachment: Easily attach the cups to any food-grade tub or bucket

· Keep Your Chickens Hydrated: Provide fresh and clean water for optimal hydration

· Eliminate Water Wastage: Say goodbye to splashing, dirt, and unnecessary waste

· Prevent Bowl Tipping: Our cups are a reliable solution to keep bowls in place

· Secure Attachment: Each cup comes with a rubber seal and wing-nut for a secure fit from the back

· Price per cup: Purchase the number of cups you need for your setup

These Automatic Water Cups are suitable for various poultry, including chickens, ducks, quail, pigeons, and more. They are recommended for poultry aged 6 weeks and older.

Do Chickens Get Lonely? Can You Keep Just One Chicken?

Can you keep a single chicken by itself?

Chickens are highly social animals. They evolved to live in flocks and are happiest when kept with other chickens.

There are very few circumstances in which it is ok to keep a chicken by itself. Of course, chickens do sometimes need to be isolated if they are sick or broody, but these short periods are very different from keeping only one chicken!

Do chickens get lonely?

Chickens probably don’t experience loneliness in the same way you or I would. But they do experience isolation.

In the wild, Red Jungle Fowl, the ancestors of chickens, live in small flocks. While they may spend time alone, they are always close enough to the flock to hear the rooster crow.

As prey animals, the presence of the flock is very important to chickens for safety and security. One study found isolation to decrease chicks’ foraging behavior, presumably due to the increased vigilance required when alone.

Anyone who has spent time observing their chickens will know that chickens are very social. They have complex relationships, from BFFs, to frenemies and enemies. Chickens may even mourn the loss of a companion.

While some chickens are less interested in making friends, even these birds will roost with the flock at night and rarely stray out of calling distance. No matter their personality, chickens will experience distress if they are removed from the flock.

Can I get just one chicken?

You should never buy just one chicken.

Chickens need to be kept with others. If you can only keep one chicken, you should not get chickens at all. Instead, wait to get chickens until you can keep at least 2 chickens or, even better, 3.

Even if you already have a flock, it is best to buy at least 2 chickens at a time if you can. This means that the new bird isn’t alone during the quarantine period. Also, introducing multiple birds to the flock together is often easier, and less bloody, than introducing one bird alone.

Help! I just have one chick

Keeping a chick alone is even worse than keeping a single chicken! Chicks are especially distressed by being kept alone. Isolation as a chick can cause long-term behavioural changes and other issues.

Never buy just one chick to raise. Even if you have a flock for the chick to join when it is grown, you should always raise at least 2 chicks together.

Sometime if a hatch is poor, you can  end up with just one chick. A single chick being raised by a mother hen is fine, but a single chick in a brooder is not ok. If you end up with just one chick, either give it to someone with similar-aged chicks or buy it a companion of a similar age as quickly as you can!

Can I get just one chicken?

You should never buy just one chicken.

Chickens need to be kept with others. If you can only keep one chicken, you should not get chickens at all. Instead, wait to get chickens until you can keep at least 2 chickens or, even better,

3.

Even if you already have a flock, it is best to buy at least 2 chickens at a time if you can. This means that the new bird isn’t alone during the quarantine period. Also, introducing multiple birds to the flock together is often easier, and less bloody, than introducing one bird alone.

What to do when you lose your flock

Occasionally, a chicken keeper can be left with just one chicken. In most cases, if you are left with just one bird the best option is to get another chicken for company or rehome the bird with another flock. This is particularly true of younger chickens.

But sometimes, you may not be able to get another chicken or rehome. This is particularly true if your flock was lost in a disease outbreak and the surviving bird could be a carrier of the illness.

Also, chicken keepers occasionally choose not to replace their chickens as they age, and are eventually left with just one bird.

Should you keep a chicken alone?

If you get stuck with just one chicken, think carefully about whether it is likely to cope with being the only hen (or rooster), along with how much attention you can give it. If in doubt, seriously consider rehoming or getting another bird.

Never keep a single chick by itself. We also strongly recommend rehoming any bird younger than 2 or 3 years for most hybrids, and 5-7 years for most heritage breeds.

If you are keeping a chicken alone, look for signs of stress such as feather picking, decreased appetite, lethargy, decreased egg laying, distress calls, failure to engage in normal behaviours etc. If your chicken is showing signs of stress, the kindest thing to do is to rehome it or find it a friend!