Is my Silkie Mentally Challenged?

[Chicnsrthebest]

A couple of months ago, I purchased one silkie hen in hopes of using her as a broody hen. Well, she had her own mind about that one, but she's been faithfully laying eggs and is as cute as a button, and we fell in love with her.

One problem though:
She refuses to go into the hen house with the other chickens at night, and fair or foul weather, she insists on spending the night, alone, rammed into the front corner of the run.
Every night, we go out there and either push her little bum up the ramp or literally pick her up and carry her inside.(the ramp is not a narrow one, nor too high-she just has to step up about 4 inches to get onto it)

The coop is nice and cozy with shavings on the floor, there are little corners under nest boxes she can snuggle into and there is even a nest box on the floor for her.
Once she is inside she's comfortable, but I'm going crazy because I'm worried about going away for a couple of nights and having her sitting out at night by herself. (she's the only silkie we have)
Our runs are secure, covered with 2 inch chicken wire on top and fox, dog and skunk proof, but I just hate her being stuck outside if it rains and we happen to be away.

Are all silkies this helpless, or is there a reason for this? We've been trying to remedy this for a month or more already.

 

[card5640]

My buf silkie does the samething, everynight I must put her in.

 

[Chicnsrthebest]

Crazy chickens!

 

[flakey chick]

If she is the only silky, she may be hesitant to hang out with the other girls. I suspect that if you keep training her every night, she will get the hang of it soon enough.

 

[gritsar]

All chickens are mentally challenged, some more than others.

 

[Emzyyy]

Maybe when you go away put her in her own chicken tractor or something? or just lock them up in there and don't have them loose in the run while your gone?

 

[karen71]

I have always had that problem with my silkies
I have one over a year and she goes in just fine into the coop
--
i have 2 chicks with some RIR chicks the silkies are about 2 weeks younger all get along - they all share a coop and run and everynight i go out to lock up all the RIR's are in the coop on the roost and the 2 silkies are in the daytime hut I pick them up put them in
hopefully some day they get the message but maybe not
had one (rest her soul ) who would never go in by herself had to always put her in the coop

I think the silkies are a little slower in the brain then the standards
but it's ok cause they are soooooo cute

 

[Chicnsrthebest]

Yeah, it sounds like Silkies are kind of the "dumb blonde" of chickens.
(I can say that, I'm a blonde. heh heh)

I can't say that without feeling sorry for my little baby though. She looks so helpless!

I really don't need a chicken tractor, she's safe in the run, about the only thing that might be able to get in is a weasel, but then if it got in to the run it could get into the hen house too.

It's almost impossible to keep those little buggars out as they can squeeze through the tiniest hole.
I've never had a problem all the years I've raised birds though. (knock on wood)