Depressed chicken??

[LorettaKristy]

I have a flock of 5. Loretta is a diff bread, blind in one eye. The other 4 are paired up I notice they don't bother her but are aware that she is different. The last few days she has been sitting behind some wood pallets and brush and wont come out. She seems to just nap all day. Is she depressed or just napping? Our coop is at capacity. Ive thought about getting her a friend of the same breed but the girls sleep pretty close as it is. Thoughts?

 

[LittleWillowFarm]

are they bored? Take her out of the coop and free range, see if that will cheer her up!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Are you sure she isn't setting on eggs?

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Because her vision is impaired she is not confident to walk around. Yes, she is depressed. The other chickens don't mix with her because she is not confident, and not because she is a different breed. I have 9 hens of different breeds and sizes; they all mix and pal around. What to do...? Well, there's no law that says she must have a chicken friend. Perhaps a small dog or she can be a semi house chicken. Set up a little safe place for her near your family, and return her to the coop at dusk. Talk to her, pick her up and stroke her wattles. Lots of TLC, in time she may mature into a more confident hen.

Here is a sweet story of a chicken that had similar problems. I hope you will take a look.

God Bless!

 

[aart]

I have a flock of 5. Loretta is a diff bread, blind in one eye. The other 4 are paired up I notice they don't bother her but are aware that she is different. The last few days she has been sitting behind some wood pallets and brush and wont come out. She seems to just nap all day. Is she depressed or just napping? Our coop is at capacity. Ive thought about getting her a friend of the same breed but the girls sleep pretty close as it is. Thoughts?

Welcome to BYC!

Loner birds in small flocks(or any flock) is not that unusual,
as long as she eating/drinking/pooping OK she's probably fine.

Does she go to roost at night or stay in her hiding place?
Have you checked under her for eggs? She maybe broody.
You ought to get her out of there and check her over, she may be ill.


If I have a bird that is not 'acting right' I isolate them in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and her poops.

I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.

Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in.

If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.