I really don't know what is wrong with Bluey, my Blue Partridge Brahma hen with a twisted spine, but she is behaving like she is depressed.
It is understandable if she is depressed, but I don't want to project human emotions onto my birds.
Bluey has a scoliosis (twisted spine), but is usually e feisty, rather fat and fully functioning member of her chicken community. She went broody for the first time this summer, and, having tried to break the broodiness, eventually I gave her a couple of eggs to sit. One was a non-starter, the second she broke and ate the contents, and the third hatched, but she smothered it. She was looking for chicks for some days, but eventually started to come round and re-joined the flock a little, but was initially rather put upon by the rest.Then she went missing, and eventually I found her in the garden pond, saved only by the density of the pond weed in there. Dried, warmed and re-fed, she did not seem to want to be with the flock. The boys over-mated her, though the girls , initially a bit stand-offish, are now fine with her . (Previously she had been a rather dominant hen).
So I hoped Bluey would eventually regain her position and integrate. She did not. One morning she just stayed crouched in the corner of the coop and would not come out. I decided to put her on her own in the agricultural shed next to the momma hens with chicks. Here she seems fine, slept in a little cardboard box, came out and scratched around in the day (in her own pen), and started to lay eggs after a few days.
Thinking she was recovered, I bought her out to be with the flock. The former behaviour has recurred, but worse. She disappeared one night during heavy rain and only re-appeared midday next day, soaked, cold and very hungry.
Since then she has generally gone to the coop at night, but in a morning has scuttled out after the others have left and gone onto a bank with thick brambles where she has just stood all day if left. She ate and drank nothing there, but when I have bought her into the house she has eaten and drunk enormously, started to preen and walk around after a short while.
Yesterday, having bought her in twice (retrieving her from the brambles) for food/water, she went there again near nightfall and just stood with her eyes closed. I bought her in and she perched up on the recycling where she has spent her night.
As you can see, pooping fine, face nice and red, and feathers all growing back nicely after her moult.
I'm just not sure what to do next.Should I put her back with the hens and chicks? (The two momma hens are now together with just 3 chicks prior to moving back to the flock).
Should I introduce her bit by bit to the other hens? (they are not bullying her or behaving in any way badly towards her)
Anybody any other suggestions or had experience of this? Many thanks.
It is understandable if she is depressed, but I don't want to project human emotions onto my birds.
Bluey has a scoliosis (twisted spine), but is usually e feisty, rather fat and fully functioning member of her chicken community. She went broody for the first time this summer, and, having tried to break the broodiness, eventually I gave her a couple of eggs to sit. One was a non-starter, the second she broke and ate the contents, and the third hatched, but she smothered it. She was looking for chicks for some days, but eventually started to come round and re-joined the flock a little, but was initially rather put upon by the rest.Then she went missing, and eventually I found her in the garden pond, saved only by the density of the pond weed in there. Dried, warmed and re-fed, she did not seem to want to be with the flock. The boys over-mated her, though the girls , initially a bit stand-offish, are now fine with her . (Previously she had been a rather dominant hen).
So I hoped Bluey would eventually regain her position and integrate. She did not. One morning she just stayed crouched in the corner of the coop and would not come out. I decided to put her on her own in the agricultural shed next to the momma hens with chicks. Here she seems fine, slept in a little cardboard box, came out and scratched around in the day (in her own pen), and started to lay eggs after a few days.
Thinking she was recovered, I bought her out to be with the flock. The former behaviour has recurred, but worse. She disappeared one night during heavy rain and only re-appeared midday next day, soaked, cold and very hungry.
Since then she has generally gone to the coop at night, but in a morning has scuttled out after the others have left and gone onto a bank with thick brambles where she has just stood all day if left. She ate and drank nothing there, but when I have bought her into the house she has eaten and drunk enormously, started to preen and walk around after a short while.
Yesterday, having bought her in twice (retrieving her from the brambles) for food/water, she went there again near nightfall and just stood with her eyes closed. I bought her in and she perched up on the recycling where she has spent her night.
As you can see, pooping fine, face nice and red, and feathers all growing back nicely after her moult.
I'm just not sure what to do next.Should I put her back with the hens and chicks? (The two momma hens are now together with just 3 chicks prior to moving back to the flock).
Should I introduce her bit by bit to the other hens? (they are not bullying her or behaving in any way badly towards her)
Anybody any other suggestions or had experience of this? Many thanks.
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