Love sick hens?

[iamgranny]

I am new to raising these wonderful things called chickens. My grandson wants to be in 4H and so we have begun our adventure together Our chickens are now 3 months One turned out to be a rooster and living in the city we were not permitted to keep him ( I must say it broke my heart as he was very love able). I found him a home on a 3 acres where he will have a happy life with other chickens. But since he's been gone my girls are very lazy, they don't walk about the yard as much they stay close to the coop. Is this odd behavior? Do they miss him or is this just a coincidence since we've been having some warmer days lately?

 

[Alexandra33]

I personally would blame the heat, but I could very well be wrong! When we got rid of our roo, our girls were actually much happier and less stressed.

Of course, if your boy was kind to the hens, it is possible that the change is a little hard to adjust to....they might need a little time to be themselves again. Chooks don't like change.

P.S. I see that you're from Marion, OH?

That's only 20 minutes away from us - we always do most of our grocery shopping there. It's such a small world!

~Alex

 

[Mrs. K]

This is a fun hobby and your grandson will always remember how you share it with him. I too, think that it is the heat. However, once I took some 4 week old chicks away from the broody hen for someone whom I had been raising them for, and I swear they were all mad at me for a week, and now, NO One will go broody!

Chickens hate change - unless they get a notion to hide a nest!

MRs K

 

[aart]

How many birds, what age and how long has cockerel been gone?
Change in flock will cause some changes in behaviors, but a new leader will emerge.
The heat can slow them down some, change where they hang out.

 

[iamgranny]

My Goodness it is a small world! I do most of my shopping at Rural King for the girls. It's about 10 minutes from us lol. Thank you all for the advice. I hope I can make it up to the girls they do act like they hold a grudge lol. Any tips on how to make them more comfortable in the heat? I add ice to their water daily, have trapped the top of their run for shade, backed off on the amount of bedding and straw so it won't compost and produce heat but is there any other tricks to making them comfy?