A needy hen

RoosterHuggerLiz

Songster
Dec 27, 2020
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394
216
So I have a rescue hen with breathing issues, she was rescue because her last owner didn't know how to treat her breathing issues and she was getting back so she abandoned in a field near my home, I know this because she is a distant neighbor and the only other person in my area to own chickens, at the time when I got her I only had two roosters, one that was three years old, and one about 5, they got along just fine because they were raised together as well as they were both strong birds so when I introduce them to them tell her everything's fine. Sadly right before laying season last year both of my roosters were killed only weeks apart by raccoons, they sent to my old hen into a shock and she was traumatized, I bought some young pullets to try and get her to calm down but instead of hanging out with the pullets she follows me around and won't leave my side, she's extremely needy and she won't even lay until I get home from school(about 5pm), she'll just wait by the front door until I decide to come outside, it's gone as far as to her moving her nest right next to my front door (ione time it got a little chilly one night and I decided to leave my window open no, she flew right in and decided she wanted to sleep on the couch, I was freaking out untill i found her sleeping on the couch next to the cat) she seems to have anxiety whenever I'm not around and I have no idea what I should do about it, ideas? Experience? I'm just really worried about her because I can clearly see how anxious she is when I get home and I worry about her sitting in front of the front door all the time
 
Keep all the birds in the coop and run.
Give her a chance to bond with the pullets.
Might need to put up a barrier fence or use a crate to start the integration.
You are feeding her anxiety and supporting her odd behaviors.
Thank you so much! I did as you said and kept her in the coop with the other girls, At first she hid in the corner, it looks like she was afraid of them, but after a week of keeping them cooped up together (there coop is 8-5 and 5 feet high so they weren't cramped at all) she bonded with the other girls quite well and now I've had them free-ranging together, she still prefers to hang out around me but now now she's not as anxious or depressed and hangs out with my other girls a lot more, and she started laying in her nesting box.

Thank you for the help! Truly!
 

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