Hen becoming a loner?

[johnsonfarm]

I have a bantam cochin hen, not quite 2 years old, who thinks she's a person and has become a pet- we named her "Blue". We recently got 6 new laying hens and they've integrated into the flock pretty well, no major fights. However, for the last several days, Blue has been going to roost in a small a-frame coop that we aren't using. I've also noticed that she wanders around farther while the other girls stick pretty close to the coop (snow on the ground). She's been at the bottom of the pecking order, but I haven't observed her being bothered much.
My question is this: when I find her perched in that empty coop at night, I move her back in with everyone else. Should I be doing that or should I leave her alone if she wants to be separated? I'm a little worried about her, I don't want to put her in a situation where she's getting picked on but I also don't want to needlessly single her out. She looks fine, eats well, acts normal.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I would try and keep them all in there run for a few days and then let them out and see if she still wanders off and see if she is being picked on by the others

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have a bantam cochin hen, not quite 2 years old, who thinks she's a person and has become a pet- we named her "Blue". We recently got 6 new laying hens and they've integrated into the flock pretty well, no major fights. However, for the last several days, Blue has been going to roost in a small a-frame coop that we aren't using. I've also noticed that she wanders around farther while the other girls stick pretty close to the coop (snow on the ground). She's been at the bottom of the pecking order, but I haven't observed her being bothered much.
My question is this: when I find her perched in that empty coop at night, I move her back in with everyone else. Should I be doing that or should I leave her alone if she wants to be separated? I'm a little worried about her, I don't want to put her in a situation where she's getting picked on but I also don't want to needlessly single her out. She looks fine, eats well, acts normal.

I think your poor little hen thinks others have moved into her territory so instead of confronting the intruders she's chooses to leave. Do you have other bantams and are the new ones bantams? Bantam cochins are quite meek chickens and can often be bullied and feel overwhelmed. I personally keep my cochin bantam separate from my large breeds so they can feel comfortable and not afraid.

 

[johnsonfarm]

I've got a mixed flock of bantam and full sized. My very laid back rooster is a bantam cochin (Blue's dad), and her mother is also a bantam cochin who is top hen in the coop! She is very tough and takes on the big girls, they're all scared of her. I have 4 other bantam hens who are all pretty meek, including Blue's sister from a different hatch. The new hens are young, but full sized.
I'm thinking I might take the sisters and let them be in the smaller coop for a while (so Blue isn't alone or overwhelmed).
They free range when we're home, maybe they can all get back together when the weather is nicer.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like a cute flock, since she's not the only bantam you could do that or you could also try putting her back in the other coop on the roost after dusk. Are there enough roosts to accommodate everyone. I adore my bantam cochins, they are so stinking cute. I certainly understand wanting to make her life better.