Hen is Now Terrified of Roo

[Loribelle]

So, here’s my latest quandary: One of our hens had a hard molt but has completely refeathered now. While she was in the pins stage, before I realized there were issues and separated her, our rooster decided to mount her. She had a complete fit and understandably so. I’m sure it was quite painful to have him mashing on her pins. Long story short she is now absolutely terrified of him. I had her in a separate pen inside the coop but had to move her into the main coop when some babies needed her pen. Then she stayed in a nest box all day, every day, just standing there hoping the roo wouldn’t see her. I moved her into a cage I put in the coop and she is much happier there KNOWING the roo can’t get to her. I don’t want her to spend her life in a cage and I really think that if she would let the roo mount her now she would know that it isn’t painful anymore. I can’t seem to talk her into that though. J Our roo is a sweet guy who has had a generally calming effect on the hens and a great addition to our flock. Now he seems to think this hen is being snotty and disobedient. The pen I originally put her in is available again. Now I just need to decide who to put in it.
I don’t know if others have ever had this kind of psychological issue or not but am hoping to get some different opinions.
Would you:
1. Keep the hen permanently separated in the little pen?
2. Keep the roo in the little pen? I have even thought of making a small door in the door of the pen so hens could visit him if they wanted to (if they would). I just don’t know what effect this would have on him and the other hens that benefit from his oversight.
3. Force her to be around the roo?
4. Do something completely different?

I appreciate your input!

 

[donrae]

If she's regrown her feathers, I'd just put her back in with the flock. The rooster will mate her, she may not like it the first few times, but I don't think one potentially painful experience will over ride the mating instinct. Honestly, I think you're reading a little too much into the situation. Just let the chickens be chickens.

 

[Loribelle]

I could be reading too much into it. I do know that I have never seen one of the chickens act so oddly. I'm usually the one saying, "They're chickens! They do that!"