Petrified Chicken

[szwr197]

One of my RIR's, her name is Crooks, went through our flock's very first molt first. Something during that time freaked her out and she is now completely petrified of the rest of the flock. She wouldn't go anywhere near them for a few weeks even though her feathers are back. Now she will come within a few feet of the rest of them but runs quickly away if they so much as look in her direction. We are having a hard time even getting her to roost with them at night. I thought the others molting might correct the issue but it has not. She was on the top of the pecking order before all of this.

I have seen a touch of bullying behavior against her but nothing too terrible. I think I have identified the two she is most afraid of so I could put those two in a separate area for a while.

I am trying to make sure we have alternative water and feeding stations set up outside the coop/run (we have one in the coop and one station in the run) but I am also putting one in a little hiding area she seems to feel safe.

They are free range birds but when we are gone (which we have been every other weekend for a while) they only get out of the run/coop when our neighbor lets them out. I feel so badly for her during this time because I can watch her on the camera and see that she won't leave the coop for fear of them being in the run. And the run is very big with multiple sections and hiding spots. With Thanksgiving coming up we will be gone for five days and wish I could correct this behavior so that she is not scared and stuck in the coop the entire time.

Any advice?

 

[Chickassan]

I wish i could tell you something that would automatically fix this but i can't. Chickens get really mentally funky when they molt, I'm only guessing the two she's scared picked on her while she was molting and obviously any sort of contact then is terribly painful and has overall just made her very wary. The only thing that's going to help her get over the hump is time. Just make sure she can eat and drink and bare with her.

 

[szwr197]

I wish i could tell you something that would automatically fix this but i can't. Chickens get really mentally funky when they molt, I'm only guessing the two she's scared picked on her while she was molting and obviously any sort of contact then is terribly painful and has overall just made her very wary. The only thing that's going to help her get over the hump is time. Just make sure she can eat and drink and bare with her.

Thank you. It helps to know that being weird after a molt is normal and that time should help.

 

[Chickassan]

No problem, just had the first molt here as well so the lunacy is still fresh in my mind.

Thank you. It helps to know that being weird after a molt is normal and that time should help.

 

[aart]

I feel so badly for her during this time because I can watch her on the camera and see that she won't leave the coop for fear of them being in the run.

How many birds in how big *is coop* and run(in feet by feet)?
Pics would really help too.
*ETA*

 

[szwr197]

How many birds in how big and run(in feet by feet)?
Pics would really help too

I can take some pics tomorrow. Their run is 120 feet. It is divided with some space under the coop and then a larger area that is 64 sq feet and then a tunnel to another run that is 32 sq feet. 6 hens. No roosters. Their coop is small. Only 16 square feet of floor space.

 

[aart]

I can take some pics tomorrow. Their run is 120 feet. It is divided with some space under the coop and then a larger area that is 64 sq feet and then a tunnel to another run that is 32 sq feet. 6 hens. No roosters. Their coop is small. Only 16 square feet of floor space.

Glad you knew I meant *coop* and run.
Molting could change pecking orders.
Tight quarters can exacerbate behavioral issues.

 

[lazy gardener]

Also, that tunnel may be a bullying spot. I would suggest that you get some extra animal protein into them for a few weeks. Just a hunch, but that might help.