Chicken with PTSD? Don't know how to help her

[PeepersMama]

I have a hen who's been acting super weird for a few months now. Last fall, a coyote tried to run off with her, but thankfully Mom spotted him and our dog caught up to him before he could kill the chicken. She had a pretty deep puncture wound just above her hip, so we kept her in the house for a few weeks while it healed (she watched TV a LOT ). She made a complete physical recovery. This year, our young rooster decided that she was his favorite hen, and she is scared to death of him. He isn't overly violent, I'm honestly really happy with him, but she can't even see him without freaking out. For awhile it got so bad that she wouldn't even leave the coop, but she seemed to improve for a week or so, coming out in the evening when I could keep Rooster at a respectable distance.

Two weeks ago, a German Shepherd attacked and killed one of my bielefelder roosters. I have no clue if she was even out front when he grabbed him, but then she started flinching at little things that didn't upset her before. If I tried to pet her neck or reached my hand behind her head, she'd panic for a second before she realized it was just me. Now she isn't eating hardly anything, her balance is getting pretty iffy, and when she does go out of the coop she just hides away from the other chickens (and she does a dang good job of it too- took me thirty minutes to find her today). Right now she's sleeping in a wire rabbit cage with no top on it, and she isn't even trying to get out of it, which worries me a little. She's in the garage near our chicks - hates being in the house after last year.


This is her - her name is Ducky Lucky.


This is where she's at right now. I kept my hand next to her for a little bit and she seemed to like it, started dozing off.


If anyone has any experience or knows anything about what I can do to help this girl, I'd appreciate it so much.

 

[ashlierami]

I have a hen who's been acting super weird for a few months now. Last fall, a coyote tried to run off with her, but thankfully Mom spotted him and our dog caught up to him before he could kill the chicken. She had a pretty deep puncture wound just above her hip, so we kept her in the house for a few weeks while it healed (she watched TV a LOT ). She made a complete physical recovery. This year, our young rooster decided that she was his favorite hen, and she is scared to death of him. He isn't overly violent, I'm honestly really happy with him, but she can't even see him without freaking out. For awhile it got so bad that she wouldn't even leave the coop, but she seemed to improve for a week or so, coming out in the evening when I could keep Rooster at a respectable distance.

Two weeks ago, a German Shepherd attacked and killed one of my bielefelder roosters. I have no clue if she was even out front when he grabbed him, but then she started flinching at little things that didn't upset her before. If I tried to pet her neck or reached my hand behind her head, she'd panic for a second before she realized it was just me. Now she isn't eating hardly anything, her balance is getting pretty iffy, and when she does go out of the coop she just hides away from the other chickens (and she does a dang good job of it too- took me thirty minutes to find her today). Right now she's sleeping in a wire rabbit cage with no top on it, and she isn't even trying to get out of it, which worries me a little. She's in the garage near our chicks - hates being in the house after last year.


This is her - her name is Ducky Lucky.
View attachment 1446083

This is where she's at right now. I kept my hand next to her for a little bit and she seemed to like it, started dozing off.
View attachment 1446084

If anyone has any experience or knows anything about what I can do to help this girl, I'd appreciate it so much.

This is so sad. I love chickens and I think their behaviors and ways are awesome to observe. I actually have a partridge silkie right now that acts similar to this except she's not been attacked or nearly killed. My birds are free range and I would notice she would go off alone and be hid under things or in taller grass or a bush. She would run from her rooster and scream. I hated her being out alone so I took her and put her in a small coop with a run. She seems happier and I always know where she is and can check on her. She has company right now since her daughter decided to brood in the coop part of this. She doesn't ever want to be let out and if I leave the door open she will go to the top of this coop to avoid the door and being seen by her rooster. Does your girl have any chicken friends that she seems to get along with well? Maybe you could place then together until she settles down and wants to be part of her flock again. If not I would put her in a safe place she can be away from predators.that is what I did with my girl. If she's going to be alone I rather her be alone in a controlled place than just alone in the yard or at the barn. I wish I could help more and I feel better knowing my girl isn't the only one that is going through this behavior.

 

[micstrachan]

Awww... poor girl. No experience here, but I suspect she might enjoy your love and protection. Just be around her as much as you can. When she is with the flock, she might enjoy being in a dog crate so the rooster can’t get to her. Just a thought. Maybe that would boost her confidence. If she were mine, if I weren’t going to crate her, I would consider adding some things to the run for her to hide under and feel sheltered.... like maybe a chair or low table or both. I’m not sure exactly how to help her, but she clearly feels vulnerable (and for good reason). I’m sorry. I hope others chime in.

 

[C3 mommy]

I feel so bad for both your girls but no experience either

 

[Tesumph]

Poor girl. Are you sure she isn’t sick? Is her breathing normal, eyes and nostrils clear, appetite healthy, etc? Many illnesses lay dormant until a big stressful event and then “suddenly” the bird is out of sorts or on death’s door.

 

[PeepersMama]

This is so sad. I love chickens and I think their behaviors and ways are awesome to observe. I actually have a partridge silkie right now that acts similar to this except she's not been attacked or nearly killed. My birds are free range and I would notice she would go off alone and be hid under things or in taller grass or a bush. She would run from her rooster and scream. I hated her being out alone so I took her and put her in a small coop with a run. She seems happier and I always know where she is and can check on her. She has company right now since her daughter decided to brood in the coop part of this. She doesn't ever want to be let out and if I leave the door open she will go to the top of this coop to avoid the door and being seen by her rooster. Does your girl have any chicken friends that she seems to get along with well? Maybe you could place then together until she settles down and wants to be part of her flock again. If not I would put her in a safe place she can be away from predators.that is what I did with my girl. If she's going to be alone I rather her be alone in a controlled place than just alone in the yard or at the barn. I wish I could help more and I feel better knowing my girl isn't the only one that is going through this behavior.

Huh, this is interesting... I might let her hang out with the little chicks for now, until the two boys get bigger. I've been tossing the idea of finding an older bantam hen to keep her company, too. As far as I know she doesn't have any one friend that she likes to hang out with, but then again I have fifty chickens so...
Thank you for the reply! I'm glad to see there's someone else having to deal with this.

Poor girl. Are you sure she isn’t sick? Is her breathing normal, eyes and nostrils clear, appetite healthy, etc? Many illnesses lay dormant until a big stressful event and then “suddenly” the bird is out of sorts or on death’s door.

Nope, she's not sick. I am keeping a close eye on her though.

Awww... poor girl. No experience here, but I suspect she might enjoy your love and protection. Just be around her as much as you can. When she is with the flock, she might enjoy being in a dog crate so the rooster can’t get to her. Just a thought. Maybe that would boost her confidence. If she were mine, if I weren’t going to crate her, I would consider adding some things to the run for her to hide under and feel sheltered.... like maybe a chair or low table or both. I’m not sure exactly how to help her, but she clearly feels vulnerable (and for good reason). I’m sorry. I hope others chime in.

I thought about kennelingk her in the coop, too, but then if Rooster came in she'd have no way to escape from him. I'm probably going to keep her kennelled near the chicks, so she won't get too lonely but she'll also be away from the rest of the flock.

 

[micstrachan]

Wait, but couldn’t Rooster not get to her in a crate? Or you think the fact that he could be right near her would stress her out?
I like the idea of keeping a friend with her, too.

 

[PeepersMama]

Wait, but couldn’t Rooster not get to her in a crate? Or you think the fact that he could be right near her would stress her out?
I like the idea of keeping a friend with her, too.

She can't even look at him without getting nervous. If he so much as walks toward her she goes crazy.

 

[micstrachan]

Aww... poor thing.

 

[PeepersMama]

Aww... poor thing.

Yeah