Hen only thrives alone... help?

[centrarchid]

Tight even with free-range option.

 

[teamfreewill]

Tight even with free-range option.

It's the best I have at the moment.

 

[sourland]

3 roosters of that size with a smaller submissive hen ? No wonder she will not come off of the roost.

 

[centrarchid]

It's the best I have at the moment.

I would avoid expanding flock size until confines made less confining. Some of your birds are flat out large.

 

[teamfreewill]

3 roosters of that size with a smaller submissive hen ? No wonder she will not come off of the roost.

There's only one roo in the coop with her. The others were separated after the second attempt to introduce her. She cowers from even the tiny bantam hens. It's not just the roosters she's afraid of, it's the entire flock.

 

[teamfreewill]

I would avoid expanding flock size until confines made less confining. Some of your birds are flat out large.

I know, I've got some big roosters. I don't plan on bringing in any new hens until I expand the coop.

 

[aart]

Yeah, space sounds mighty tight, free ranging does not always solve for a crowded coop. The coop is important territory where battles can originate that free ranging won't absolve.

Any good reason for having multiple cockbirds?
Might think hard about permanently removing 2 of them...or building a 'bachelor coop'.

Adding a single bird can definitely be the hardest integration.
You have 2 enclosures(do they have secure runs?), might do some mix and match Chicken Juggling. Put a nice bird in with the newbie for a few days, then add one or swap out. Keep changing things up to throw off the territoriality aspect.

This might help, it's about building confidence for your 'abused' single bird.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

Pics of coops and runs will help.
Also....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[Mrs. K]

Sometimes a bird does not fit into a flock. I think you said you rescued her, might be something else wrong with her, and that is why the flock is so against her. You have a tight confinement, and sometimes the flock just tells you "One more bird is one bird too many."

You can try hide out feeders & waterers. Take a look at your run, if a bird is in the run, can they get out of the sight of other birds. Is it just an uncluttered open area. Adding stuff in there, can make it much more interesting to your chickens, and make use of 3 dimensional space, the vertical space. I lean a pallet against a wall, and have a feed bowl there, I have a wind shelter in the run, and have a feed bowl behind that. I have platforms and roosts in my run. I see that your free range but does that mean your backyard or the back acre? If so set up feed stations in multiple places out there.

I would be surprised if you have a peaceful flock, you have a lot of different sizes, 3 roosters, and not enough space. You can certainly try giving her a buddy, it might work, but I think it won't. I think what you need to do is cull some birds and get to the size that fits the set up that you have. You are making the mistake of thinking that one can cheat on coop size if they free range during the day. The winter is coming, and the long nights negate the advantages of free ranging.

Mrs K