Do I have a lonely chicken? Or am I reading too much into this?

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

I have a feeling I'm personifying my chickens a bit here.... but thought it didn't hurt to ask.

I have a small secret backyard flock of 3 chickens. They're 13 months old now and life is great with them. I have a split coop I lock them up in at night. One area has two roosts inside... they can hop down and walk out to a screened-in area outside where there is another roost. (The entire thing is safe and behind wire). My EE is the Queen of the Castle and dictates who goes where. She lets my BR sleep in the inside area with her. My poor big-bottomed BO sleeps on the outside roost by herself every night. She looks so lonely sitting out there. Am I nuts for thinking that?

And incase you're wondering we have the split plan because we live in FL and much of the year it's very very hot so they have a safe screened-in outside area they can roost if they want to. I know throughout the summer all 3 of them will roost outside, but for the rest of the year the two girls will be inside and the BO gets kicked to the curb on the outside roost alone.

Thoughts?

Feel free to call me a chicken sympathizer - LOL.

(You also need to know that part of me sorta hopes she's lonely so i can get her a friend.... although I told myself I'd keep to a 3-bird flock - LOL)

 

[trilyn]

Ah well, I was gonna tell you yes, that you were personifying her a bit. But....then I saw the last sentence, and no, you're not at all, yep, you're right- she needs a friend! She's the third wheel for pete's sake, even the odds! What are you waiting for-go, go get her a buddy!! lol

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

Quote:
ENABLER!!!

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
ENABLER!!!

<evil laugh> Who moi?? No, not I! lol

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

She could use a friend - might also add another perch inside.


Yes, I am an enabler - but she sounds lonely.

 

[sewingca]

 

[Quailbuddy]

I agree with all those post . . a buddy would / could help !

 

[Tala]

My BO ladies used to be the very bottom of the pecking order. I have 2 roosts, only a foot difference in height, but every night all the birds were on the top one except for ONE of the poor BO girls. Poor girl!!
Eventually she worked up her courage and now she roosts beside the other BO girly on the "big" roost. You might need to have 2 extra-docile type birds. (BO's tend to be picked on by the meaner breeds, and I have mean ole Leghorns to boot!!)

It *might* help to have another BO, but any newcomer bird is going to be picked on as well. In fact, the current-low girl will ESPECIALLY pick on the newcomer because she will JUMP at the chance to move up on the pecking order. It probably won't be a cakewalk, and they probably won't become instant buddies like you might be hoping.
My two were already pretty good buds coz they are sisters - raised together from the brooder.

 

[angels4]

I would be thinking the same as you and would immediatly run out and get her a new friend (or two) possibly another timid or docile breed like herself, but I'm also thinking that maybe she is just smarter than the other two and relizes in the heat of a Florida summer sleeping outside is the best place.

 

[MareeZoCool]

Add another roost inside, and teach that BO to sleep inside. Lock her in, if you must ~ for a day or two. Do you have a roo?