Chicken is having an identity crisis!

[scoopsmom]

Hi everyone. I'm having some problems with my bantam Cochin, Ruffles. She is about 10 months old and she has had repeat crop issues that has been very difficult to treat so she has spent a good amount of time in the house. I love her so much but I feel like she should live as a chicken outdoors where she has room to forage with her flock.

Because she spent so much time away from the flock, however, they no longer accept her. In an attempt to reintegrate her I sectioned off a part of the chicken yard so they can see each other but not directly interact. I do put them out to forage together and naturally they attack her. I do worry some because she wears a crop bra so I'm afraid she may get Tangled in it, and she is a bantam but the others are not. Despite all that I don't think they are too over the top aggressive tho. Initially one of my hens was but she leaves her alone now.

Anyhow my dilemma is this: she thinks she is one of the dogs I guess. They way my house is set up there's 3 different set of stairs to get to the house cuz I have a huge wrap around patio. If I put her in the lower yard she will walk up all 3 flights of stairs and walk in the house. If the door is closed she will just wait at the back door to be let in. She will forage for a few minutes but then she's right back to the house. I have a mirror down on the ground for her inside, so she will come in, peck at her reflection then go to sleep next to it which makes me think she does want a chicken friend. She lives harmoniously with my 2 dogs and 2 cats tho. She just strolls all around the house now. So how do I make her want to be a chicken again? I think I'm going to have to put her in the chicken yard with the other chickens and I'll just be in there to supervise. But then the issue is, she hides behind my leg or flies into my arms. I'm her mom now. Any tips?

 

[ChickNanny13]

She sounds pretty content with her life in the house, with you & dogs/cat. Would it be possible she continue or is it necessary she live with the chickcens? I think it's adorable, she wants to live with you, not the chickens.

 

[17 chickens]

My little white crested polish hen doesn't think she is a chicken or she thinks she is to good to be with the others!
The only time she is with the chickens is when they go to bed, Then she has her own nesting box she sleeps in at night. If one of the other chickens are in it out she comes and waits at the house door for me to move the chicken and place her head first in her box. She has an old basket I have in my flower bed by the front door that she lays her eggs in, She also greets all our egg customers and the will take a treat out of a cookie jar and hand feed her! She will not eat food from a dish and will only drink water out of my fountain. She is a pain sometimes being so demanding but she has my heart wrapped around her little toe!

 

[JaeG]

Often if the flock sense something is wrong with an individual they will drive that bird out because it's viewed as weak/sick. It's possible that your other girls will never accept her. Sounds like she'd be far happier living with those that accept her for who she is.

 

[17 chickens]

Often if the flock sense something is wrong with an individual they will drive that bird out because it's viewed as weak/sick. It's possible that your other girls will never accept her. Sounds like she'd be far happier living with those that accept her for who she is.

 

[lomine]

Have you left her in the coop for an extended time so she will reestablish the coop as home? Kind of sounds like she thinks the house is her coop. How long do you leave her next to the others before free ranging? They might just need more time to accept her.

I would try putting her in the seperate area for at least a week before letting her out. Maybe try putting one of the more docile members of the flock in with her so she isn’t completely alone. It might be easier to reintroduce two birds instead of a one.

 

[Anansi]

To be honest, if she sees the house as her home, you as her flock, and it isn't any issue for you to have her inside, keep the arrangement. You can always encourage her to be broody shortly before the chicks come in at the farm supply, find a banty female, and sneak it under her inn the middle of the night if you really want her to have a chicken friend, but I get the feeling she's content with you and the other animals being her flock. An option to get her out to forage during the day is to set up a small, predator- proof run along side the other one so there is see and talk, but no touch between her and your other flock. That way she can forage and have safe interaction with the other chickens, and be with you the rest of the time inside.

We have 2 indoor chickens, and their foraging is superworms and crickets every evening, and various scraps. They are content being indoors, and are housed in separate pens due to the bigger one picking on the smaller one, but they get along ok when they're outside of the pen and supervised. Their pens are only 2 inches apart, just out of beak range, and they're happy with the arrangement.

 

[aart]

Have you left her in the coop for an extended time so she will reestablish the coop as home? Kind of sounds like she thinks the house is her coop. How long do you leave her next to the others before free ranging? They might just need more time to accept her.

I would try putting her in the seperate area for at least a week before letting her out. Maybe try putting one of the more docile members of the flock in with her so she isn’t completely alone. It might be easier to reintroduce two birds instead of a one.

This^^^ is spot on.

The bird doesn't think she's a dog, she's just 'homed' to the house.