Chicken shunned and going crazy. Any answers?

[TheHiddenEgg]

We have 6 chickens (2 orpington, 1 Dominique, 1 redcap, and 1 Catalana) 4 of them are 1 year old and the 2 others about 6 months old. They all get along very well and are very docile, ie. let us pick them up and even pet them. DeeDee and GoGo (Dominique and Catalana) were the ring leaders of the clan until recently.... DeeDee (catalana) went missing for a couple of days. Figuring some larger animal had gotten to her, we let her go. I recently discovered her on a couple separate occassions inside the fenced off garden bed area then disappearing again. I figured she was just coming and going as she pleased but couldn't figure out how she was getting out and back in. I went searching for holes in the fence or some way to hop over when I discovered she was living in a dark little hole in the yard waste compost area! Much to her dismay I moved her and discovered over a dozen eggs! Now that she's back in the yard GoGo and all of the other chickens are pecking at her and chase her away from food and water. She is also running around the yard puffing up her feathers, grumbling, and flapping her wings like crazy. Why has she been excommunicated from the clan? and now she's crazy?? What's with her not wanting to be in the run and in the coop??

 

[peterlund]

Sounds like she is just broody, and the others need a few days to get over her absence. A fluffed up broody hen is not considered a friendly bird to it's fellow chickens. She will be fine... Just a little post partem that will soon pass. She might stay in her broody state foe a bit longer, so keep an eye on things.
Good luck

 

[sourland]

She was broody. Her changed behavior has changed the flocks' perception of her. They think that she is a stranger and are reworking the pecking order.