Indifferent Pullets; Puberty or Hawk Trauma? (17 Weeks)

[speckledegg728]

I have five pullets that have been acting strangely for a while now. As the title says, they're rather indifferent to me. When they were younger, and there were six of them, I could go into their coop, sit down on a bucket, and have at least half of them perched on my legs. They would fall asleep there, and be very easy to handle in general.

When they were ten weeks old, I lost Ginny, head of the pecking order, to a hawk. I could tell they grieved her. The coop was silent most days, for a long time. It became harder and harder to get one of them to perch with me.

But of course, they are also getting closer to the point of lay, so I was curious if that could be a factor.

It's not as if they hate me. I mean, most eat from my hand except for the two skittish girls. Two still sometimes pop up to my knee for a visit. But it's so rare that it makes me sad. They used to come right up as soon as I went to sit on the bucket.

What could be the primary cause of this change in affection towards me? I'm out there at least four times a day and they are spoiled rotten, I really don't know what to do.

 

[BantamLover21]

At this point, I think that their indifference is probably due to them maturing and developing different personalities. The hawk attack might have had a temporary effect, but since they probably don't associate you with the hawk attack (or remember the incident well), I don't think that is the explanation.

I would just keep spoiling them and spending time around them. Many hens mellow down once they have been laying for a while, so maybe that will be true for them, too.

Good luck! And I'm sorry for your loss to the hawk.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

All teenagers rebel at some point. ALL teenagers.

 

[aart]

Agrees it's a maturity thing, if they are near point of lay(18-24 weeks old)...they may become more friendly later on, or not.