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Willow is doing great and is being reintegrated back into her flock. The weather still gets well below freezing at night, and some of the days are still pretty cold, so I’ve only take her out for a few hours at a time and she still comes in the house overnight.
On the 1st day outside, I brought Willow out and the whole flock stopped and stared. I put her on the other side of the fence so they could see her but not get to her. The rooster (who is kept separated from the hens) was thrilled, Willow is his favorite. The hens looked at her for a minute and then went about their business. I’ve read that chickens can remember both humans and chickens, and that seemed to be the case. I let the hens out to free range, which is where Willow was. They went up to her and chased her a bit, but then they got busy looking for worms. Willow wandered into the coop, and when the hens also went in there, there were a few little skirmishes, chest bumps, and jumping, but not too much worse that what it was like before. Willow has always been the low hen in the pecking order and picked on a bit when in a smaller area or when treats are around.
She was so cute, when I went to check on her in the coop after her dust bath she ran up to the gate where I was, like “ok this was fun but I’m ready for my nap on the couch now”.
The second day she was more skittish around the hens, running from them when they walked in her direction. She stayed away from them and she jumped on the roost if they had to pass by her. I know I put her in with them quickly, but I was in with her most of the time to monitor them. If she was a totally new hen I would have done the slower method keeping her separated for longer, but I could tell the rooster definitely remembered her so I figured the hens did too.
The 3rd day it was too cold and windy with mixed precipitation, Willow stayed in the house.
Over the weekend (days 4 and 5) went pretty well. Willow still prefers to keep away from the hens and sticks close to the fence where the rooster is, they enjoy being next to each other. But after about 2 hours Willow paces in front of the gate, waiting for me to take her back in the house. Yesterday and today (days 6 and 7) it’s pretty much been the same thing. The hens mostly ignore her but I did see a little chasing take place.
I was hoping that by this weekend she could stay outside for good, but now I’m not sure she likes that idea! Even when she was a chick, Willow didn’t hang with the other hens much, so I don’t think she missed being away from them. She likes the roo but he’s young and mated her bare last summer, so I won’t make that mistake again.
I didn’t see Willow eat much while she was outside, and her crop was small, so I plan on putting a feed and water bowl up in the back roost. I have more feeders then hens but for now Willow seems to prefer to be off the ground when in the coop. I will continue getting Willow reacclamated to the outside and the flock with the hope of having her be a normal outdoor chicken soon. She’s only been out for 2-3 hours a day while I’m home and checking on her often. BUT we bonded quite a bit while she was sick so maybe that’s why she doesn’t want to stay outside too long. Plus the weather still sucks! I also wonder if getting a few chicks would help, maybe she would move up in the pecking order or at least make a chicken friend...
On the 1st day outside, I brought Willow out and the whole flock stopped and stared. I put her on the other side of the fence so they could see her but not get to her. The rooster (who is kept separated from the hens) was thrilled, Willow is his favorite. The hens looked at her for a minute and then went about their business. I’ve read that chickens can remember both humans and chickens, and that seemed to be the case. I let the hens out to free range, which is where Willow was. They went up to her and chased her a bit, but then they got busy looking for worms. Willow wandered into the coop, and when the hens also went in there, there were a few little skirmishes, chest bumps, and jumping, but not too much worse that what it was like before. Willow has always been the low hen in the pecking order and picked on a bit when in a smaller area or when treats are around.
She was so cute, when I went to check on her in the coop after her dust bath she ran up to the gate where I was, like “ok this was fun but I’m ready for my nap on the couch now”.
The second day she was more skittish around the hens, running from them when they walked in her direction. She stayed away from them and she jumped on the roost if they had to pass by her. I know I put her in with them quickly, but I was in with her most of the time to monitor them. If she was a totally new hen I would have done the slower method keeping her separated for longer, but I could tell the rooster definitely remembered her so I figured the hens did too.
The 3rd day it was too cold and windy with mixed precipitation, Willow stayed in the house.
Over the weekend (days 4 and 5) went pretty well. Willow still prefers to keep away from the hens and sticks close to the fence where the rooster is, they enjoy being next to each other. But after about 2 hours Willow paces in front of the gate, waiting for me to take her back in the house. Yesterday and today (days 6 and 7) it’s pretty much been the same thing. The hens mostly ignore her but I did see a little chasing take place.
I was hoping that by this weekend she could stay outside for good, but now I’m not sure she likes that idea! Even when she was a chick, Willow didn’t hang with the other hens much, so I don’t think she missed being away from them. She likes the roo but he’s young and mated her bare last summer, so I won’t make that mistake again.
I didn’t see Willow eat much while she was outside, and her crop was small, so I plan on putting a feed and water bowl up in the back roost. I have more feeders then hens but for now Willow seems to prefer to be off the ground when in the coop. I will continue getting Willow reacclamated to the outside and the flock with the hope of having her be a normal outdoor chicken soon. She’s only been out for 2-3 hours a day while I’m home and checking on her often. BUT we bonded quite a bit while she was sick so maybe that’s why she doesn’t want to stay outside too long. Plus the weather still sucks! I also wonder if getting a few chicks would help, maybe she would move up in the pecking order or at least make a chicken friend...
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Oh an update and good news about Willow! Thank you!
