Buff Orp Being Shunned by flock

[moehappyhens]

I could use some guidance!! I have 6 hens that were my original flock. About three months ago I added a Buff Orp and a Australorp. When I originally added the Buff and Australorp I seperated them from my 6 hens for a week or so but kept them side by side of my existing flock. When I finally put them together the Buff cut her head open in the first middle of the night on god knows what. She had a hole in the back of her neck/head probably the size of two quarters. It was a bad cut and down to the meat of her neck. It was a clean and straight cut, not a pecked cut so I am 99% sure my girls didn't do it. I ended up super glueing her head and kept her seperate until she healed. I am happy to report she is doing great and her feathers are grown in and she is healthy! She hasn't started laying yet but part of me wonders if she is too stressed to start laying. She is about 6 months old now.

She is super skiddish and isn't part of the flock. She is almosts shunned. My hens aren't very mean to her (an occasional block of the water/food), she is just super skiddish and if a hen comes close to her she squaks and runs away. They don't go after her or attack her at all. When all the hens go to bed in the coop at night and she sleeps outside alone. It's fine for now while it's summer in San Diego but I'm worried about when winter comes. Is there anything I can do to entice her to the coop? Any advice for me?

Thank you so much!!

 

[marianne7]

I could use some guidance!! I have 6 hens that were my original flock. About three months ago I added a Buff Orp and a Australorp. When I originally added the Buff and Australorp I seperated them from my 6 hens for a week or so but kept them side by side of my existing flock. When I finally put them together the Buff cut her head open in the first middle of the night on god knows what. She had a hole in the back of her neck/head probably the size of two quarters. It was a bad cut and down to the meat of her neck. It was a clean and straight cut, not a pecked cut so I am 99% sure my girls didn't do it. I ended up super glueing her head and kept her seperate until she healed. I am happy to report she is doing great and her feathers are grown in and she is healthy! She hasn't started laying yet but part of me wonders if she is too stressed to start laying. She is about 6 months old now.

She is super skiddish and isn't part of the flock. She is almosts shunned. My hens aren't very mean to her (an occasional block of the water/food), she is just super skiddish and if a hen comes close to her she squaks and runs away. They don't go after her or attack her at all. When all the hens go to bed in the coop at night and she sleeps outside alone. It's fine for now while it's summer in San Diego but I'm worried about when winter comes. Is there anything I can do to entice her to the coop? Any advice for me?

Thank you so much!!

Its all about smell with chickens, because she has been away from the others for so long, she will smell different, and will automatically be attacked by the others, (Chickens can be so cruel) you have to get the smell of the others on her....If you can separate one of the flock and put it with her for a week or two...let the smell get on her...also lift her into the coop at night, that is another way the smell will get on to her.....keep an eye on her tho...because if one attacks her and there is blood, they will all attack her....after a week, bring another chicken in to the pen with her and the first one, and keep on introducing them one by one....bit of a pain but it does work, there may be some pecking, but at least you won't have all of them on to her....

 

[Angie8eggs]

I would try setting her on the roost with the others when it's dark, and see if she will do that herself the next night. I had one like that, she wasn't shunned by any of them, I just don't think she knew what she was doing! The next night she hopped on by herself! It might take you a couple of times. Hope it works out quickly for you!

 

[moehappyhens]

Thank you kindly for your replies. I didn't know chickens were so sensitive to smell! She had super glue on her head for about two weeks and that finally fell off about a month ago. So maybe it was about smell but now she has been with them for about a month. Is that long enough to get rid of the "medicine" smell? I love the idea about putting her in the coop myself for a night or two. I will try it and see how it goes. Keep your fingers corssed for Goldie! Thank you again!

 

[Angie8eggs]

I wish you luck! Keep us posted, your post might help someone else out to!

 

[moehappyhens]

It's been a while but thought I would post an update - after about three months of me putting her in the coop every night, she FINALLY joins the flock in the coop with them at night. She seems to have mellowed out a bit and now that she is accepted, she is easier to pet and just seems like she is happier. It took a lot of time and worry but she did it!