FourHensNoPens
Chirping
- Jan 7, 2022
- 11
- 80
- 54
'Midnight' is a less than one-year-old Black Copper Marans. We've raised her, together with her three 'sisters,' Safire Plymouth Rock greys, since they were one week old chicks. As early as the first week after returning from the local Wilco, Midnight demonstrated issues. Kept in the garage in a 4 ft x 24" trough under a heat lamp, the slightest noise would trigger her to hide below one of her sibs. She was frequently vocal, letting out that rapid low-volume chirp that, we understand, telegraphs stress.
Within two months, we built a coop and moved the four birds into our suburban backyard. We're surrounding on three sides by other houses separated by a six-foot-high wooden fence. All within earshot of the yard. A few months later, we were forced to build a Run as the birds were destroying pretty much everything: potted plants, new and older vegetable plants in our raised beds, etc. The Run is pretty huge for four birds. As the birds grew from pullets to adults, Midnight changed her attitude. No longer was she the shy one of the four; now she became the most vocal, frequently screaming -- yes, screaming, no other word for it -- whenever she wanted anything and seemingly for no reason at all. We soon discovered that when she was let out of the Run to run free around the backyard, she quieted down. But a day later (we would return her to the Run and the coop at night), she was back to screaming. Bribing her with lettuce and cabbage buys us about half an hour of peace. She comes right up to us, frequently hanging out at the back door, waiting for the next handout. She's very responsive this way but will not allow anyone to touch her. She gets very skittish if we reach for her without food in our hands.
We've adjusted our schedule to be at the Run and let the birds out of the coop by 6 a.m. every morning. Later than that, she starts screaming. We let her out of the Run and for half an hour, sometimes an hour, she wanders around pecking at anything she finds and seems to be content. Then the screaming resumes. This is not -- not -- a scream of pain. We do not suspect anything is physically wrong with her. It's more of "I'm here. Feed me!" or "I'm here. Let me back into the Run so I can lay an egg." or "I'm here. And I just want you to know about it!" type of scream. But maybe we're projecting.
We've tried Benadryl. The wife has tried CBD oil. The results have been short-lived, like less than a day. We're thinking perhaps mild, low-dose antidepressants? If that even a thing for chickens? Is that even advised?
What are we doing wrong? And what would you do, short of giving her away to a larger farm, before your neighbors have you cited?
WE ARE OPEN TO ALL ADVICE.
Thank you for considering this plea.
We're desperate.
Cheers,
Ralph S.
Petaluma, Calif.
P.S.: While not pictured, we have since added a light, beige, canvas tarpaulin across the roof that you see on the Run. It provides shade but lets some rain and light through.
Within two months, we built a coop and moved the four birds into our suburban backyard. We're surrounding on three sides by other houses separated by a six-foot-high wooden fence. All within earshot of the yard. A few months later, we were forced to build a Run as the birds were destroying pretty much everything: potted plants, new and older vegetable plants in our raised beds, etc. The Run is pretty huge for four birds. As the birds grew from pullets to adults, Midnight changed her attitude. No longer was she the shy one of the four; now she became the most vocal, frequently screaming -- yes, screaming, no other word for it -- whenever she wanted anything and seemingly for no reason at all. We soon discovered that when she was let out of the Run to run free around the backyard, she quieted down. But a day later (we would return her to the Run and the coop at night), she was back to screaming. Bribing her with lettuce and cabbage buys us about half an hour of peace. She comes right up to us, frequently hanging out at the back door, waiting for the next handout. She's very responsive this way but will not allow anyone to touch her. She gets very skittish if we reach for her without food in our hands.
We've adjusted our schedule to be at the Run and let the birds out of the coop by 6 a.m. every morning. Later than that, she starts screaming. We let her out of the Run and for half an hour, sometimes an hour, she wanders around pecking at anything she finds and seems to be content. Then the screaming resumes. This is not -- not -- a scream of pain. We do not suspect anything is physically wrong with her. It's more of "I'm here. Feed me!" or "I'm here. Let me back into the Run so I can lay an egg." or "I'm here. And I just want you to know about it!" type of scream. But maybe we're projecting.
We've tried Benadryl. The wife has tried CBD oil. The results have been short-lived, like less than a day. We're thinking perhaps mild, low-dose antidepressants? If that even a thing for chickens? Is that even advised?
What are we doing wrong? And what would you do, short of giving her away to a larger farm, before your neighbors have you cited?
WE ARE OPEN TO ALL ADVICE.
Thank you for considering this plea.
We're desperate.
Cheers,
Ralph S.
Petaluma, Calif.
P.S.: While not pictured, we have since added a light, beige, canvas tarpaulin across the roof that you see on the Run. It provides shade but lets some rain and light through.
