Keeping a solitary hen

[Primrose]

The restrictive covenant on our garden sadly prevents us from keeping "poultry" but I wondered whether I could get round this by keeping a single hen as a "pet"?

Would it be cruel just to keep one hen? Are they happier in a small flock, and would it lay eggs if it were alone? I really know nothing at all about keeping poultry but have always hankered after having a little hen clucking around the garden.

Honest comments please.

[sandersj89]

Personally I would not keep a sole hen, they are flock animals and prefer company. The best small number of hens is 3 I belive. This they helps reduce and bullying that may occur.

I have 5 hens in the garden and you would hardly notice they are there unless they are trying to get through the cat flap!

I would just go for it.

Jerry

[John]

Hello again Primrose
I must agree with Jerry. Please don't try to keep a single chicken as they do need the company of other chickens and it really is unkind to keep a loner.
Can you get the covenant lifted if you only keep hens and no cock birds and maybe get some support from your neighbours?

John

[RAREBREDCHICK]

Hi Primrose, Everyone else is right, it would be cruel to keep a hen on her own, but, have you thought about getting some japanese (or chinese) quail? They are great fun, lay small multicoloured delicious eggs, eat slugs etc too and surely, even 6 of these little darlings in an aviary are not quite the same as poultry as in hens, cockerals, ducks etc which are bigger and noisier. Although hens are probably one of the quitest pets you could have, judging by the noise my neighbours cats were making last night! I suspect the covenant is something to do with cockerals. I would definatly look into getting some quails, I had them before and intend to get some again. Let us know how you get on and what you decide.

[Chantal]

I'm with the others Primrose, despite having Rocky around the place as a "pet", he spends a lot of time sitting outside the run looking at the girls with a wistful look in his eye. As soon as possible he's going in with Selsey.

I have kept a solitary hen but only because her mate died and as she was nearly 10 it didn't seem fair to introduce new birds to the run. It's not something I would ever choose to do as they are sociable birds and happiest in a group.