Hello,
We just got our hens this morning and have been fascinated watching them throughout the day.
The fellow we got them from had them free-ranging all over his property. They go to a coop at night but during the day they wander all over.
We can't do that here - too many feral cats - so we have them in an enclosed A-frame tractor.
When we got them home we put them in the upper coop part where the roost bar and nesting boxes are. After awhile we opened the ramp down to the run part below where we keep their food and water.
One hen came down almost right away and started to investigate her new surroundings. She seemed to be looking for a way out and was pacing back and forth clucking.
The other three hens came down the ramp and found the food and were scratching around in the run pretty calmly while the first hen kept on pacing and clucking.
We noticed that when she came near the other hens, they would chase her away and she'd go scampering off to another part of the run.
Eventually she went back up the ramp and inside the coop and stayed there all day. While I did see her eat I didn't see her drink anything and I'm a bit worried.
Should I be or should I just give her another day to settle in?
Thanks, Barbara.
We just got our hens this morning and have been fascinated watching them throughout the day.
The fellow we got them from had them free-ranging all over his property. They go to a coop at night but during the day they wander all over.
We can't do that here - too many feral cats - so we have them in an enclosed A-frame tractor.
When we got them home we put them in the upper coop part where the roost bar and nesting boxes are. After awhile we opened the ramp down to the run part below where we keep their food and water.
One hen came down almost right away and started to investigate her new surroundings. She seemed to be looking for a way out and was pacing back and forth clucking.
The other three hens came down the ramp and found the food and were scratching around in the run pretty calmly while the first hen kept on pacing and clucking.
We noticed that when she came near the other hens, they would chase her away and she'd go scampering off to another part of the run.
Eventually she went back up the ramp and inside the coop and stayed there all day. While I did see her eat I didn't see her drink anything and I'm a bit worried.
Should I be or should I just give her another day to settle in?
Thanks, Barbara.