Lead hen issues

[Hierwill]

I have a lead hen that while free ranging takes the other hens about / house down the road. I have noticed that if I leave the lead in the pen and the other hens out those hens stay in the yard. Now obviously the lead hen does not look happy abiut this, can I continue to do this or could I stress the lead hen out too much? Because I built a second coop that I could set her in and leave the rest free ranging and still have access to the coop to lay.. Any thoughts or opinions?

 

[Den in Penn]

You might consider poultry netting that can confine them to the area around the coop.

 

[Hierwill]

I do have a pen for them, but it is heavily wooded and loaded with ticks. And I have dogs, so I'm trying to get rid of some insects all around my house.

 

[Den in Penn]

Insect control, I understand. I noticed a decrease in ticks after I let my flock range for an hour or two in the evening. Fencing them doesn't do as well. When the set I got two years ago were let out I had to be with them all the time they were out or they would wander over to the neighbors, they are better now. So as I see it you have two options. Confine the lead hen till she is older and may not wander as far. Stay with them and keep herding them. Of course confining the present lead may cause a change in leader ship and another hen may take her place and decide to the lead the flock to the land of milk and honey. I don't know what shape your woods are in, but if they are mostly over grown they will prefer more open space, like maybe the front yard and road,