Frightened Chicken

[cakkleberrylane]

We have a bantum something. She seems really afraid to sleep in the chicken house with the others. She's like a little kid, handing on to me and screaming when I try to put her in. I've been letting her sleep in the bathroom and she's quite happy with that. Her preference is to sleep in the loft of the barn, but we've had predators and after they've gone to sleep there, I relocate them to the chicken house. The others are fine, but she seems really afraid. What would the others be doing to her to make her so afraid? We have a couple of chicks that are smaller than she is that are very comfortable there.

 

[ChrisnTiff]

They may be picking on her on the roosts. Especially if she is a bantam and all your other chickens are standards. More than likely she is the lowest on the pecking order and every time she tries to get up on the roost another bird pecks at her. If you put them all in after dark they won't really do much, but if there is even a little light they will peck at each other. I would maybe try shutting them all in the dark and see if this helps. Good luck,

Chris

 

[cakkleberrylane]

Thanks, Chris. She can scrap and chase the Silkies, but often waits until they finish eating before trying to get to the food. I usually feed her first to be sure she gets as much as she needs.

Also, I have an egg question. My silkies are laying but no one seems interested in sitting on the eggs. I have a RIR sitting on eggs and put them under her, but that's only going to be a temporary fix since her eggs are a couple of weeks ahead of these. Any suggestions to encourage the silkies to sit on them?

 

[adriennehearts]

make her stay some where else with 2 chickens then start adding chickens 2 times a day and shell get use to it