So about a month back, I posted a thread about my "sad chicken." She was a loner her whole life (always last to eat, last to drink, and never included herself with the rest of the flock in their daily activities). She was otherwise in perfect health and condition.
At 4mos old, she was moved from the juvenile pen to the free range flock. There was very little squabbling but her standoffish behavior continued. She refused to go in the coop at night with the older birds and the other 4 month olds (bros and sisters). Instead, each night I would have to find her and place her inside by hand to keep her safe. Occasionally, she would "get it" and i would find her inside but more often than not, she didn't.
I tried treats, a trail of food for her to follow up the ramp, i would place her outside the door so that she would have the experience of walking in herself, i placed her directly on a roost thinking that maybe she was being bullied from the coop even though I didn't really see any of that.
She would go in the coop on her own periodically throughout the day for food, water, and to lay just not at night.
Well, the inevitable happened. Last night I went to lock up around 8pm and the little loner was gone. Not in the coop with everyone else and not in the woodshed. I hoped that she had just found a new spot and would show back up this morning. She did not.
Failure to go inside at night is a death sentence here. Its unfortunate and I hate to think of her terrible fate, but you can only lead a horse to water....
At 4mos old, she was moved from the juvenile pen to the free range flock. There was very little squabbling but her standoffish behavior continued. She refused to go in the coop at night with the older birds and the other 4 month olds (bros and sisters). Instead, each night I would have to find her and place her inside by hand to keep her safe. Occasionally, she would "get it" and i would find her inside but more often than not, she didn't.
I tried treats, a trail of food for her to follow up the ramp, i would place her outside the door so that she would have the experience of walking in herself, i placed her directly on a roost thinking that maybe she was being bullied from the coop even though I didn't really see any of that.
She would go in the coop on her own periodically throughout the day for food, water, and to lay just not at night.
Well, the inevitable happened. Last night I went to lock up around 8pm and the little loner was gone. Not in the coop with everyone else and not in the woodshed. I hoped that she had just found a new spot and would show back up this morning. She did not.
Failure to go inside at night is a death sentence here. Its unfortunate and I hate to think of her terrible fate, but you can only lead a horse to water....
