Had to separate a hen and now she panics whenever another hen comes near her

[Striker1485]

We have nine cuckoo maran hens, two and a half years old. Never any behavioural problems until now. Two weeks ago, I thought one of our hens, Chipper, was starting to molt. Then she had some bloody pinfeathers and I got worried that she was having her feathers ripped out. We put her in 'quarantine', a smaller run alongside the one the rest of the flock was in. They saw each other through the wire every day for two weeks until we decided she was well enough to rejoin them.

Four days ago, I free ranged all the hens together in our yard and they were fine with each other. But when they went back to the henhouse, two different hens chased Chipper out when she tried to get up on the roost. We ended up opening one of the nest boxes (usually we close them at night) and she slept there alone, then went in the run with the rest of the flock in the morning. One hen chased Chipper around first thing, and Chipper was screaming bloody murder, so we separated them because we thought for sure that she got hurt somehow. No injuries but we put her back in the quarantine run for the rest of the day.

Next day we tried the same thing, free ranging them and then letting them go in the henhouse together. As long as Chipper didn't try to get up on the roost, the other hens ignored her. We thought that had fixed things but a different problem started the next morning. Whenever another hen came anywhere near her, Chipper bolted and squawked at the top of her lungs. The others weren't chasing her any more. She just acted like every movement was a threat. Since she wasn't being chased or injured, we left her with the others, hoping she'd calm down.

Since then, the others have been ignoring her and she's stopped screaming, but she's still running away whenever they come near her. She's also been shut out of the henhouse by our automatic door both nights. The other hens aren't chasing her out, she just won't go inside in the first place. We've had to open the door and put her in ourselves. As long as she sleeps down in the bedding by herself, the other hens don't care she's there, but apparently the roost is a forbidden spot for her now.

Is this just pecking order things that have to get straightened out on their own, or should I be thinking about rehoming her, or something else? Even though there's not been any more injuries or blood, it doesn't seem like it's a great situation for Chipper since she seems to be on the brink of panic all day. Plus it's starting to get cold and I'm worried about her being alone overnight. I read about putting a hen on the roost while the rest are asleep, but our henhouse is raised Carolina Coops style so I'd basically have to climb in there with them to get her up there, and I can't help but think that would panic everybody.

 

[Tonyroo]

It sounds like she's been psychologically traumatized, birds in that situation take a long time to snap out of it.

So your suggestion of rehoming or the other may suit your needs. But if you want to keep her even in her state of mind. You can create a safer area for her to sleep with the flock and just be observant of how she's reacting with the flock. As far as staying warm in the winter, she should be fine roosting alone in the coop with the others, she won't freeze.

But since you have first hand knowledge of the situation it's helpful to have good judgment and foresight to make her feel comfortable or decided if you don't want an extra task to heal your hen.

 

[AllKindaOCluckedUp]

So ... when they are out of the coop no one chases her but she is still fearful and avoids them?

Have you tried grabbing her and whoever the 'head' hen is and sitting with them both..? Together...?

Maybe she just needs to figure out they aren't -now- out to get her..?

I mean... I have had some chickens who have had long memories and some who weren't - they run the gambit. Maybe she just needs to know that the pain she felt won't happen again.

If there's another shuffle on pecking order, that's fine. They can figure that out, right? BUT maybe she hasn't put together it won't feel like it did when she had the issues - like she did- prior to her quarantine.

(Shrugs) I'd probably try this for several days, see if it makes any difference. Maybe try different hens to pair her with.

I hope she's able to fit back in. It's clear you worked really hard to make sure she would.

 

[RcoM]

I’d persist. They will all get there with their pecking order sorted. She isn’t hurt and she’s allowed in (below). As it gets cold, she’ll be warm in a nest box in hay. I had an older hen or two that gave up the roost for hay naps at night and all were quite happy with that. They will all gradually reaccept each other I think.