About 8 days ago, I introduced 3 new Ameraucanas (1 year old) to my flock of 8. For the first couple of days, I left food in the coop for them as they were pretty scared to come out into the run with the rest of the birds. Normally, my girls have access to the coop, run, and an extended outdoor area during the day. But for the first several days, I wanted to imprint on them that the coop was their safe place, so I didn't allow them out into the extended area. After 4 days, I moved the food out into the run and opened up the extended outdoor area beyond the fully enclosed run. I figured with most of the girls out foraging during the day, the 3 new ones would be more comfortable coming out into the run for food and water (they have water in coop also).
Well, after 4 days, I have 2 of the new girls finally coming out on their own without me "gently" encouraging them out to get food/water. The third girl, Ginger, still seems to be stuck on the roost. If I don't physically pick her up and put her out, she would sit there for who knows how long. I waited until 11 a.m. yesterday to see if she would come down on her own and she was still stuck up there. I finally took her out and she stayed there for part of the afternoon, but then went back in and stayed there for the rest of the night. I am not sure how much she is eating/drinking either. Doesn't seem like much.
I am not sure if it is just her personality or her spot in the pecking order. The other birds do a little bit of pecking, but it isn't anything that I would ever be worried about and I am pretty sensitive to that. Should I keep taking her off the roost until she decides it is safe to do so (conditioning) or should I just let her sit there until she is okay with coming out? I have only had chickens for 10 months, so not sure how to approach this. I don't want her to starve herself or go without water. Also, the place I got her from, I don't remember seeing any roosts for the birds, so not sure if she even knows how to get down. She is a pretty hefty girl, so maybe it is easier to get up than down?
Wendy
Well, after 4 days, I have 2 of the new girls finally coming out on their own without me "gently" encouraging them out to get food/water. The third girl, Ginger, still seems to be stuck on the roost. If I don't physically pick her up and put her out, she would sit there for who knows how long. I waited until 11 a.m. yesterday to see if she would come down on her own and she was still stuck up there. I finally took her out and she stayed there for part of the afternoon, but then went back in and stayed there for the rest of the night. I am not sure how much she is eating/drinking either. Doesn't seem like much.
I am not sure if it is just her personality or her spot in the pecking order. The other birds do a little bit of pecking, but it isn't anything that I would ever be worried about and I am pretty sensitive to that. Should I keep taking her off the roost until she decides it is safe to do so (conditioning) or should I just let her sit there until she is okay with coming out? I have only had chickens for 10 months, so not sure how to approach this. I don't want her to starve herself or go without water. Also, the place I got her from, I don't remember seeing any roosts for the birds, so not sure if she even knows how to get down. She is a pretty hefty girl, so maybe it is easier to get up than down?
Wendy
