Is my Mable a suicide case?????

[Crazy4cochins]

What's up with my Mable? Last week I found her almost frozen to death in the coop. I did all these things people wrote to do in an emergency of hypothermia.She was fine after a few days and now tonight I went out because my little roosetr was having a fit,turns out she wouldn't go inside with the rest. Have I spoiled her to much? She was freezing tonight. I know the other birds won't cuddle with her at night. I am new to chickens and I don't understand. She kind of has diarreah but it seems to go after a few days. It's like she was staying outside on purpose. I have checked and she doesn't have a stuck egg, ????

Thanks to all for the input,She's been doing great comin in at night with me.
I will use the great ideas you gave me about the roosts and the hiding places and feeders.
It helps knowing my poor Mable is not the only one.

 

[Akane]

Most likely answer would be the others picking on her. You said they don't sleep next to her. Does she follow the rest when they are out and stay with them? Do they chase her in the coop? I have a little bantam hen in with standards and she's fine free ranging but when she tries to eat or roost they will chase her off so she avoids the coop while the others are up. She waits until they leave in the morning to come get her treats and she either gets in the coop before them and roosts somewhere they don't fit or goes in the coop last after everyone is happily roosting. I have bantams in the house growing out so she'll have company soon.

 

[Crazy4cochins]

Yes, she's always off by herself. Isn't it so sad.

I am going to have to look up a pattern for chicken diapers I guess.
Maybe I could make her a small coop.
I am getting RIR's babys soon and I have two mixed babies that will be ok with her for now.
Well,I gave her a bath and let her sit on my lap while lookin around on the BYC forums. So hopefully she'll feel better tom.
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[chickenannie]

She might be on the low end of the pecking order. I try to make sure I have a place for those chickens in the coop at night. I put at least one or two options for roosting, that way, the dominant chickens get the "best" roost, the low end get the 2nd or 3rd location. Sometimes, I put places to hide for the runties too in case they are getting beat up on (like a board tilted against a wall, for example. I also put out at least 2 feeders and waterers so everyone gets to eat (the mean ones can chase the littler ones away alot).

 

[gritsar]

I have a suicidal hen. She's lowest in the pecking order. She's tried to off herself several times. She's eaten soda can tabs, broken glass and once tried to eat an old spark plug wire she dug up.

When I let the chickens out in the morning and give them their treat she waits for me in the coop. I carry her into the yard away from the other chooks and give her a treat by herself. She spends most of the day in the yard by herself while the others free-range.
At night she waits for me outside the coop door. I carry her in the coop and put her on the roost right next to the rooster. None of the other hens bother her then. In the mornings she's learned to stay to herself until I turn them all loose.
She does alright. Somebody has to be at the bottom of the pecking order.
I agree that it's a good idea to always have two feeders available so that low ranking members still get to eat.
I also have another hen that I have to put on the roosts at night, but it's because of her vision problem. She used to be low on the totem pole, but she's a scrapper and worked her way up.

 

[mandolinmama]

chickens can get to where they want to kill themselves? This is new. Poor thing.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I don't think they get truly suicidal, but it sure seems that way sometimes. If my Lilith was a human child, she'd be the one walking around sticking metal objects into electrical outlets.

 

[chickenannie]

I have a runt-size rooster that became a pet though he lived with other chickens. He is a loner now, and it saddens me but I think with all the protectionism and coddling from us since he was a chick, he never learned to be a real chicken and doesn't ever stand up for himself. He gets chased alot and I generally keep him in a separate coop. If he is scared he runs for the nearest human and stands between their legs! He squawks a lot too. Somehow he is the only chicken, however, to escape a fox attack we had in January. All the other chickens in his coop were killed but him including a large BO rooster. I never figured out how he made it alive (the fox did not). His legs have always been a bit strange and it makes him walk poorly. but he is a great cuddler and would make someone a great house chicken! (not here though).