- May 4, 2014
- 16
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Hi,
I'm new to BYC group and eager to hear feedback from those of you more experienced with raising chickens.
A few months ago my son and I got our first chickens, we bought 5 hens (sisters) and one rooster (not from the same family) Everyone was doing great until Easter morning when I went to let them out of their coop one of my girls (Pinky) was dead. We are not sure what happen to her
but what has happen since is most concerning now.
My hen Chickadee has shown EXTREME depression since her sister died. She was laying with her in the coop and we had to move Chickadee to remove Pinky. *Side note, I cleaned the coop, new bedding etc afterwards.
Chickadee has hardly moved since. I am almost forced to either bring her food and water or bring her near the food and water dishes, She won't wonder to them. I removed her from the coop each day. I have created a large safe area and put another sister or two with her during the day. This way the rooster doesn't try to pin her.
There have been very few days she has walked around, and when she does it's just to tuck herself under something as if hiding. The last two days have been the worse. I used her picture in my arms as my avi but I can post more later so you can see her if that would help. She keeps her eyes closed most of the day, sometimes only opening one to look at me. She comes to hide under my legs if I am near her and the rooster comes too close so I know she can move. She has no problem being held, I actually had her in a towen yesterday because she is getting really dirty from not walking around.
One friend thought she might be broody, but after reading more about it I'm not so sure.
Any thoughts?
Thanks, Heather
I'm new to BYC group and eager to hear feedback from those of you more experienced with raising chickens.
A few months ago my son and I got our first chickens, we bought 5 hens (sisters) and one rooster (not from the same family) Everyone was doing great until Easter morning when I went to let them out of their coop one of my girls (Pinky) was dead. We are not sure what happen to her
but what has happen since is most concerning now.My hen Chickadee has shown EXTREME depression since her sister died. She was laying with her in the coop and we had to move Chickadee to remove Pinky. *Side note, I cleaned the coop, new bedding etc afterwards.
Chickadee has hardly moved since. I am almost forced to either bring her food and water or bring her near the food and water dishes, She won't wonder to them. I removed her from the coop each day. I have created a large safe area and put another sister or two with her during the day. This way the rooster doesn't try to pin her.
There have been very few days she has walked around, and when she does it's just to tuck herself under something as if hiding. The last two days have been the worse. I used her picture in my arms as my avi but I can post more later so you can see her if that would help. She keeps her eyes closed most of the day, sometimes only opening one to look at me. She comes to hide under my legs if I am near her and the rooster comes too close so I know she can move. She has no problem being held, I actually had her in a towen yesterday because she is getting really dirty from not walking around.
One friend thought she might be broody, but after reading more about it I'm not so sure.
Any thoughts?
Thanks, Heather
