Question about rehoming and roost bar height…

[Lainey-chick]

I have a hen, Oreo, who is a 9 month old barred rock. She was raised with her 10 flock mates who are leghorns and Isa Browns. The only other BR is the rooster. So, she doens’t have anyone of her same breed. I noticed that she talks different than the others, her voice is different. She used to hang around the rooster, but it seems he lost interest in her.

Recently, she has lost a bunch of feathers around her neck and tail. She‘s timid, but doesn’t hide in fear. She knows her place is last. It doesn’t seem that Oreo gets picked on during the day that I see other than obvious pecking order stuff if she gets too close when food is around. However, in the morning when I go to clean the poop boards, I find her feathers. Not sure if she’s molting or picked on at night? None of the others are losing feathers. There are some scuffles in the evening when they roost vying for a spot. Rooster doesn’t like anyone to roost beside him and if anyone gets near him he pecks them hard. I have two roost bars that are the same height and they all try to squeeze onto one bar.

I thought about rehoming her since she is not laying at all and even when she did her eggs were tiny. She hates being touched by a human and flighty, so wouldn’t make a good pet. My concerned with rehoming her is that it will be the same or worse for her in a new situation.

Also, wondering if making roost bars at different height levels would help them in the evening when they are vying for a position?

 

[sourland]

It sounds as if she may be molting. Moving to a new flock would pose more problems for an already insecure bird.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would check for parasites, if you have not done that.

A picture of your set up, would really help us give advice. Often times it is space, but sometimes it is the arrangement of space. Adding clutter can really help.

You could try some larger pieces of cardboard taped to the ceiling or possibly a hole in the cardboard that the roost goes through, to separate the roost into sections. It might take going down there after dark, and moving the bird to where you want her.

Pin less peepers are something else to consider.

Mrs K

 

[Lainey-chick]

It sounds as if she may be molting. Moving to a new flock would pose more problems for an already insecure bird.

Thanks! I was wondering about molting, but thought I had read they wouldn’t molt until next fall since they are so young. Glad to know it may simply be just this.

And, thanks for the info about moving her to a new flock.

 

[Lainey-chick]

I would check for parasites, if you have not done that.

A picture of your set up, would really help us give advice. Often times it is space, but sometimes it is the arrangement of space. Adding clutter can really help.

You could try some larger pieces of cardboard taped to the ceiling or possibly a hole in the cardboard that the roost goes through, to separate the roost into sections. It might take going down there after dark, and moving the bird to where you want her.

Pin less peepers are something else to consider.

Mrs K

Thanks for your reply. No parasites. My set up has more than enough space and plenty of roost bars, clutter, and things to hide behind. I’m not concerned at all about bullying during the day.

Whatever is happening, it’s at night or early morning before the door opens. Or it’s a molt.

My coop is 8x12 with two roosting bars in L shape. I wasn’t sure if having two levels of roosts would help since they are all on one level. That way the alpha birds could go up a level and the lower birds could be on the lower level or if this causes more problems? My birds love pecking cardboard, it’s like a toy to them, a divider would get destroyed fast. If I move them, they just move again to where they want to be. She doesn’t like to be picked up, so it causes more issues for her if I try to move her to a different spot.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think you will still have the same problem. I have had lower roosts, and do set up a lower roosts when I have chicks starting to roost, but really have never had any chickens use them. They all seem to want to be way up on top, even if they are pushing each other off.

If it starts to be bloody - I would cull this bird. I think a victim in the flock leads to ugly behavior. Some birds, for whatever reason do not fit into a flock.

I mentioned the parasites, as I have seen birds do that feather damage to themselves with parasites.

Mrs K

 

[Lainey-chick]

I think you will still have the same problem. I have had lower roosts, and do set up a lower roosts when I have chicks starting to roost, but really have never had any chickens use them. They all seem to want to be way up on top, even if they are pushing each other off.

If it starts to be bloody - I would cull this bird. I think a victim in the flock leads to ugly behavior. Some birds, for whatever reason do not fit into a flock.

I mentioned the parasites, as I have seen birds do that feather damage to themselves with parasites.

Mrs K

Thanks, I appreciate your responses! I understood why you asked about parasites. I check my birds/coop often and haven’t seen any parasitic evidence.

By using the word cull, do you mean - make dinner? Or rehome? If you meant rehome, do you think she would do okay in another flock?

 

[aart]

My coop is 8x12 with two roosting bars in L shape.

they all try to squeeze onto one bar.

Which bar the 12' or the 8'?
How many birds in total?
Pics would help discern why they only use the one roost.
Tho the poop board might offer a lower place to roost already,
I regularly have at least one bird on the board instead of on the roost.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Rooster doesn’t like anyone to roost beside him and if anyone gets near him he pecks them hard.

He's a cockerel still and not a rooster yet.. but that's not a desirable behavior.. I'd consider getting rid of him too. All the ladies should wanna roost next to him.. maybe that will come with time and maturity. I agree with sourland.. rehoming does not sound ideal.

It doesn’t seem that Oreo gets picked on during the day that I see other than obvious pecking order stuff if she gets too close when food is around. However, in the morning when I go to clean the poop boards, I find her feathers.

That sounds much like molting. UNLESS there is a light on in your coop, the birds should be staying on roost and not picking at each other in the dark or even moving back to their desired location once moved. Aside from the feather loss, molting can make birds feel like crud and be even more withdrawn. Pictures of her balding areas may help confirm.

I was wondering about molting, but thought I had read they wouldn’t molt until next fall since they are so young.

Many birds do mini molt around the 8-9 month mark. They don't read our papers about what they should or should not do.

Cull can mean harvest, rehome, compost, euthanize.. or otherwise eliminate from your flock by a means that is "humane" and sits right with YOU.

So, she doens’t have anyone of her same breed. I noticed that she talks different than the others, her voice is different. She used to hang around the rooster, but it seems he lost interest in her.

While birds of a feather DO flock together and sometimes those who look different can be alienated or bullied.. I've kept many a mixed flock quite successfully. Perhaps if she is molting then the cockerel is just responding to that lack of fertility/change in hormones??

Hope it works out quickly!

 

[Lainey-chick]

Thanks everyone! I think from your replies, this is most likely a mini molt. I went out and looked at her again and picked her up. She protested me handing her, but she looks healthy except for the loss of feathers around her neck and all her longer tail feathers are missing. No bleeding that I can find. She’s eating normally. No one picks on her during the day. I think she’s just dropping her feathers on the poop board at night and it alarmed me. But, I raked up their run and noticed her feathers are outside too.