Pet hens...when there is only 1 left

[GhostSauce]

We have been keeping hens as backyard pets for several years, and are now down to 2, the others having died of old age/natural causes.

The remaining 2 are very sweet and are best mates. They're happy little girls, get lots of veg and porridge, and spend their days scratching round the back garden.

In the next couple of years we have a lot of travel planned, and we do not intend to add to the flock. These will likely be our final two for the foreseeable future.

However...what happens when one of these 2 dies? The one left would be so sad. Do we try and rehome them now as a pair so whoever does first doesn't leave the final one alone? I know chickens don't like to be alone, and if we were to rehome 1 alone they would have to go into a new flock and have to establish themselves in a pecking order at an older age.

I just dont know what the kindest thing is. I'm leaning towards trying to rehome them now as a pair do that they would still be together.

What do people think?

Your plan to rehome them now sounds sensible. We're down to one just now and I feel so guilty (we lost three to mink last week). The mink is no more and the coop is being reinforced this weekend, so we'll be getting more next week, but until then she's on her own, poor thing.

If you were anywhere near me I'd take them, but I doubt I am. Hopefully you can find someone who'd love to add them to their flock, though.

Thank you for replying. Sorry to hear about your girls :-( I think I will look into where they can go. I know there are a few people locally who keep hens so I might ask them if they'd be interested.

Poor girls. We do love them, but in the next few years we'd have to take them back and forth to the chicken boarder while we're away and they just hate being boxed up and transported around.