Failure to Chicken!

[sampson]

Ok, So here's my little 19 week old black sex-link (black star) pullet



here she is in the cage on the way home with the 4 terror bitches, (thats what I called them because they relentlessly pick on her)

So I'm noticing some behaviors from this girl, some I like, Some that concern me. I jokingly call her dummy, and retard chicken, because she act's like she may be a little brain damaged.

First of all she comes right up to us to say hello, very tame, very much wants to be under the people for protection, because we dont peck on her like the other chickens do. Not a huge issue, I kind of like this, but it kind of contributes to the state of mind (or lack therof)

Secondly I have noticed that she appears to lack motor control in an unusual way. she will peck at her food but does so in an indiscrimate way, almost like she doesnt know where it is.

as she begins to peck towards her food, she will begin to peck at the air from a standing height and continue to do so as she lowers her head (3-5 blind pecks) until she makes contact with her food. like she's slowly moving down towards where the food should be, but unsure of how close she needs to get in order to get it.

This brings me to the last item. she NEVER scratches for food, I let them all free in range my back yard (urban) and she wonders around and looks at stuff, but then she returns to the coop and lays down. or she'll go find a safe spot near the house and just sit. she doesnt seem interested in scratching around for food anywhere.

I call her the dummy chicken, because she seems like she hasnt learned to chicken very well. even though the others are all doing it, she wont follow them. now I have her on good laying pellets, with the others, and plenty of oyster shells now, along with a few table scraps ( leftovers, never salty, no onions or other chicken poisions) but she's acted like this since we got her.

any thoughts on what could be the problem, If any! (like I sid I like that she's super tame, I just dont like that she seems dumber than the rest) and the pecking thing is werd.

 

[KikiTheChicken]

Hello sampson!

Your problem may be the other chickens pecking her. If they peck her hard enough, that could cause her brain to go kinda screwey-wompus. That has happened to one of my chickens. Her name is Thunder and is often bullied by my dominique (pecky little thing). One day, yeah, it seemed as if she forgot how to chicken soon after I saw her get bullied rock-hard by the dominique. There is really nothing you can do about it, but it helps if you hypnotize her. Give her treats often, and show lots of love to her. She will become less of a "dummy".


Hope that helps!!


Kiki

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Ok, So here's my little 19 week old black sex-link (black star) pullet here she is in the cage on the way home with the 4 terror bitches, (thats what I called them because they relentlessly pick on her) So I'm noticing some behaviors from this girl, some I like, Some that concern me. I jokingly call her dummy, and retard chicken, because she act's like she may be a little brain damaged. First of all she comes right up to us to say hello, very tame, very much wants to be under the people for protection, because we dont peck on her like the other chickens do. Not a huge issue, I kind of like this, but it kind of contributes to the state of mind (or lack therof) Secondly I have noticed that she appears to lack motor control in an unusual way. she will peck at her food but does so in an indiscrimate way, almost like she doesnt know where it is. as she begins to peck towards her food, she will begin to peck at the air from a standing height and continue to do so as she lowers her head (3-5 blind pecks) until she makes contact with her food. like she's slowly moving down towards where the food should be, but unsure of how close she needs to get in order to get it. This brings me to the last item. she NEVER scratches for food, I let them all free in range my back yard (urban) and she wonders around and looks at stuff, but then she returns to the coop and lays down. or she'll go find a safe spot near the house and just sit. she doesnt seem interested in scratching around for food anywhere. I call her the dummy chicken, because she seems like she hasnt learned to chicken very well. even though the others are all doing it, she wont follow them. now I have her on good laying pellets, with the others, and plenty of oyster shells now, along with a few table scraps ( leftovers, never salty, no onions or other chicken poisions) but she's acted like this since we got her. any thoughts on what could be the problem, If any! (like I sid I like that she's super tame, I just dont like that she seems dumber than the rest) and the pecking thing is werd.

Have the other chickens injured her eye during their pecking? Someone will always be at the bottom, but if injuries are being sustained you may need to separate her. You can then pull a higher order hen and pen them together, then reintroduce them together to shake up the pecking order.

 

[sampson]

now that i have had the chance to watch them some tonight i finally got to see her wandering the yard and trying to scratch around tonight. so it sounds like a post trauma pecking order thing.

**** i kindof wish rosters could be quieter so i could have one to stop the pecking order. anyway she is definately strutting around and scratching for food. so it must be a growing pain for her.