I have a 1 year old hen that has just in the last 3 weeks started staying in the coop, not brooding, she eats and drinks and moves around. If I take her to join the others she scratches and pokes around a while and lets the rooster at her but she will eventually go back in and stay until I take her out again. I have taken her to the vet that has chickens and specializes in birds, the vet says other than a grade 1 parasite and lice problem she is very healthy. I have washed her butt with cool water with a drop of doterra onguard, as she has some waste stuck to her and then coated her back end with diatomaceous earth. I feed organically and add a liquid mineral to their water and sometimes a little vinegar. Any idea what her problem could be?
I have a few hens that prefer to stay inside, they are at the bottom of the pecking order and lack confidence. Is your hen low on the pecking order? How many hens do you have? My guess she is hiding or just isn't interested in being involved with the daily interactions. I would spend some time quietly observing the flock dynamics to see if she's being bossed around or over bred by the rooster.
