Rogue Chicken

[rarneso]

one chicken from my flock of seven has started isolating herself from the flock. They are all 6 months old and have been raised together. They stay in the coop at night and free range during the day. She hides herself during the day and does not go into the coop at night. Also, she is not laying in the coop and I can't find her hiding place or her eggs.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Either she's bottom bird and is hiding from the flock, or she's going broody.

 

[aart]

one chicken from my flock of seven has started isolating herself from the flock. They are all 6 months old and have been raised together. They stay in the coop at night and free range during the day. She hides herself during the day and does not go into the coop at night. Also, she is not laying in the coop and I can't find her hiding place or her eggs.

Welcome to BYC!
How long has she been doing this?
Are you sure she's still alive?
I'd try to catch her and confine her to the coop or a crate.
Then let her go and follow her, if she's broody she will make a beeline for her hidden nest then maybe you can find it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Or she could be heading into a molt. IME, hens who are molting don't feel well with all those pin feathers coming in. They KNOW that an altercation with personal contact is gonna be uncomfortable.

 

[rarneso]

Welcome to BYC!
How long has she been doing this?
Are you sure she's still alive?
I'd try to catch her and confine her to the coop or a crate.
Then let her go and follow her, if she's broody she will make a beeline for her hidden nest then maybe you can find it.

Yes she is alive...saw her yesterday. I will try to catch and confine. Thanks

 

[rarneso]

Or she could be heading into a molt. IME, hens who are molting don't feel well with all those pin feathers coming in. They KNOW that an altercation with personal contact is gonna be uncomfortable.

Do they molt this young?

 

[rarneso]

Either she's bottom bird and is hiding from the flock, or she's going broody.

Definitely not the bottom...broody is possible. Didn't expect this at such a young age. Thanks for responding.

 

[aart]

Do they molt this young?

are all 6 months old

Probably not .

 

[andreanar]

Probably got a stash of eggs somewhere she is sitting on. What breed?

 

[lazy gardener]

Do they molt this young?

They go through a number of juvenile molts before they get their adult plumage. then the first adult molt is around 18 months, give or take, depending on when they were hatched, and a number of other factors.