Can a hen suddenly get kicked out of the flock?

[maggiepresley]

We have 6 hens and 1 rooster, all about 7 months old. They've been together for a while and we haven't noticed any strange behavior, until this week. The rooster has started chasing one of the hens around and not letting her near the other girls. When they're all grazing around in the backyard, all of them will be together except this one that spends the majority of her time in the run (which has an open gate; she can go in and out as she pleases). I assume this is his version of kicking her out of the flock? Anything I can do?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Pecking order changes from time to time.
About all you can do is remove the bullies for a few days. Then when they go back into the flock they are usually lowest on the totem pole.

 

[rebrascora]

Either he is wanting to mate her and she is trying to avoid him.... can't blame her.... young cockerels are a total pain when they get their hormones and he is at an age when they will be kicking in,
or
he senses that she is sick and is trying to run her out to preserve the health of the flock. Chickens are very good at hiding sickness until it is too late for us to help them, so take this as a cue to watch her closely, make sure she is eating well, check her body condition by picking her off the roost at night and feeling her breast area. Check and compare against other members of the flock. If she is feeling very thin and bony and her breast bone is sharp under the skin, she has a problem.
Has she started laying yet? Is her comb bright red? Are any of the other pullets laying?
It sounds like these birds were not all raised together....Where did you get them from and did you quarantine the new ones?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good points. It wouldn't hurt to weigh the bird to keep track of whether she's gaining or losing weight.

 

[chickens really]

He is trying to breed her. If needed set up another feed and water station. Although it's probably not needed.