Hen that doesnt like being "cooped" up

[Luna9]

So I go out early this morning and check on my birds after a very worrisome night and for the first time since Ive had this particular hen she was locked coop all night and everything seemed fine. No one was injured or anything and things seemed calm. I went back in leaving my remaining adult hen in the coop because of the bad rain we are having today. A couple hours later I went back out to get something from the truck (which is currently parked in my backyard with the new wood for the coop) and peeked in on the birds and my Muscovy hen has a bloody wing!!

What do I do!?? I had no choice but to let the adult hen out (she is older to...like 2-3 years old) because I feared she would further injure the other birds. It seems like she is fine being cooped at night cause she spends the whole time up on the perches but if shes left cooped up she gets mean. The coop is currently 10ft by 5ft and there is only 2 young Muscovy, and RIR chick thats probably 5-6 weeks old and her. When I let her out she took off running across the yard like she had somewhere to be and is now sitting under some shelter attempting to wait out the rain.

Anyone else have a bird like this???

 

[Luna9]

Anyone???

 

[Miss Lydia]

What breed is she? and is she a chicken or a duck?

 

[teach1rusl]

Definitely sounds like she doesn't do well being cooped up. Were they shut inside the housing, or did they have access to a run? You generally won't see any problems overnight, as chickens don't move around in the dark. But come daylight, any boredom or restlessness will show itself, moreso if someone has a bully personality. Is her situation (being the only adult hen) new?? If so, that could be part of it, as chickens don't do well with change. There are too many possible factors for me to guess at what might be going on with your hen.

I did have one bullyish hen who would pick on (although not as severely as yours evidently) a sickly pullet of mine. She would get nastier when they were confined to the run. Or maybe I just noticed it more since the pullet didn't have as many places to get out of her way...

 

[Luna9]

She is a RIR hen. And yes shes in a new environment to her...I have only had her for a few weeks and she hasnt been locked up like yesterday before (with me). She does have access to a run. I guess she is just gonna be one of those that I cant keep locked up, huh?

 

[teach1rusl]

I don't know...maybe once she settles in and gets use to her coopmates. I know some people have wonderful RIRs, but I've also read a LOT about that being a more aggressive breed. Either way, rough weather or not, I'd consider not shutting her in again unless you see her bonding with the others...

 

[Luna9]

Thanks. I think Im gonna try extending her time in the coop with the others a little longer each morning. This morning it was 8/8:30 when I let her out and I think I will do it again tomorrow and then extend it a little longer the next day and see how she does. This morning she was fine and there wasnt any pecking that happened...at least nothing bad. My Muscovy seems like shes healing fine, though I will catch her and take a closer look when we move them to a temp cage to extend the coop an extra 4 feet today (see my coop plans

).

 

[flowergirl60]

My chickens get really mad when they can't free range even tho they have a nice size run. We're fixing to go on a coop tour this morning and right now they are fussing up a storm b/c I'm keeping in their run while we are gone. Drives me crazy.