How To Keep A Single Chicken Happy

Chickens are very social animals and they are at their happiest when they are in a flock with other chickens. Having a single chicken can also mean having a lonely chicken and the loneliness will make them depressed and unhealthy. If you only have one chicken then it is important to know how to keep a single chicken happy.

Keeping a single chicken happy will mean interacting with it as much as possible or entertaining it in other ways. You can let it live in the house or in spaces where other people are. You can also make it toys to play with like hanging up fruits that it can peck at.

To answer the questions of “do chickens get lonely?” and “can a chicken live alone?” we will take a deeper look at how single chickens operate.

Can you have just one chicken

It is not ideal to have just one chicken, but it is possible. As a chicken owner, you will just need to put in some extra effort to make sure your single chicken stays happy.

Chickens will get lonely and bored if they are not entertained. They evolved as social animals and they feel at their happiest when they are part of a social structure. Entertaining chickens is a bit of an art so we will take a look at some practical steps that you can follow below.

How to keep a single chicken happy

Chickens want to be around other chickens. The best way to keep a single chicken happy will be to get a few more chickens, unfortunately, this is not always possible. But, fortunately, there are ways to keep your single chicken happy (even if only for the short term).

Provide them with the best quality food

The one thing that most directly impacts the health and happiness of a chicken is its diet. When a chicken has a well-balanced diet (Amazon link) it can function at its optimum. It will keep them active and lively because their mind and body will be running smoothly.

Want more information, check out my article on How Much to Feed Chickens, which goes through all the information and what to feed them.

Decorate the chicken coop

Keeping the chicken coop a fun and happy place is a great way to keep the single chicken happy. You can do this by hanging up colorful and shiny things, such as these chicken decorations (Amazon link) or some old CDs perhaps. You can also put a mirror in the coop (Amazon link) so the chicken gets intrigued by its reflection.

Make toys or opportunities to play

There are lots of toy ideas out there. You can use some old materials to make a fun toy that your chicken can play with. They also enjoy a swinging perch or things hanging that they can peck at. Hang up some fruits or hide treats in toys that they can peck at.

Can a chicken live alone

A chicken can live alone, but it is not an ideal environment and the best thing will always be to reintroduce them into a flock. Being a part of a flock is their natural way of living. That being said, a chicken can live alone.

The solutions given above will help a lot to keep your single chicken happy. Chickens are relatively smart so they enjoy constant stimulation. Keeping a single chicken as a pet is also a way to go – the chicken will move and live in the same space as the humans. In that way, it will interact with humans and it will not get lonely or bored.

What To Do When You Only Have One Chicken Left

The best thing to do when you only have one chicken left is to get a few more chickens so that they can live in a flock again. When this option is not possible, you should do your best to keep the chicken happy and entertained by creating a suitable environment with toys and decorations.

When a chicken lives alone it will start feeling bored, this could cause it to become depressed and then get sick and die. It is surprising that chickens function this way, but they do. They are very social and intelligent animals.

Even getting one more chicken will help. When there are two chickens they can be companions to each other and can entertain each other. Alternatively, you can make sure that they have a comfortable living environment. Giving them lots of space to roam will always be very beneficial. They love to explore new places and find new things to entertain themselves with. Lots of toys and things to play with and peck at is also a winner.

Chickens are more intelligent than most people think, so you can ask yourself – “what would keep a human happy?” and most likely the answer will also keep a chicken happy.

Wrap up

Chickens have feelings and to keep them on their own might make them feel down and lonely. There are a few ways how to keep a single chicken happy such as regular interacting with it, entertaining it, and letting it be social with you. Giving it toys to play with is a great way to keep a chicken entertained and stop it from getting unhappy.