Hen keeping to herself.

[jeailes]

Hi! I have a 5 month old polish hen that stays to herself all day long. She follows the others around the yard but will not join the group. Always stays back and at night when the others go into the coop I always find her laying on the ground outside of the coop. I think she is more than likely at the bottom of the pecking order, I don’t really see any of the other chickens being overly aggressive toward her and she isn’t missing feathers like they are pulling them out or anything like that. Could she be sick? How would I be able to tell? She is still foraging and eating food and drinking. She just stays to herself all the time. Any advice on how to help her?

 

[Surbhi]

not sure, was she always like this, or has this behavior just begun?

 

[jeailes]

not sure, was she always like this, or has this behavior just begun?

She has always kept to herself. she has never been consistent in going into the coop at dark but she is not going in a lot more lately

 

[3KillerBs]

Is she the only one of her breed?

Sometimes chickens seem to like to hang out with chickens like themselves.

 

[jeailes]

Is she the only one of her breed?

Sometimes chickens seem to like to hang out with chickens like themselves.

No there are 2 more hens and a rooster all from the same hatch.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

Have you checked her for mites, lice, worms, ect?

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

She could just be more reserved

 

[jeailes]

Have you checked her for mites, lice, worms, ect?

I don't see anything abnormal on her skin or in her poop. But I will keep checking.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

I don't see anything abnormal on her skin or in her poop. But I will keep checking.

Hmmm ok. It’s possible she just is at the bottom of the pecking order

 

[keesmom]

She has always kept to herself. she has never been consistent in going into the coop at dark but she is not going in a lot more lately

Just about every Polish chicken we've had has been "special", with odd behaviors. We tried 2 more this year. One knew where the coop was, would be in the vicinity as it got dark, then would promptly go roost in some random location in the yard. She wouldn't even go to the same place twice. She wasn't picked on, she had other crested friends, yet she would not go into the coop at night and no idea why. Lost her to something one night when we couldn't find her. The remaining one sometimes ends up in the wrong coop or even perched under one if it's raining or snowing. Trimming crest feathers has not helped at all.