SEPARATION ANXIETY in my hen??????????

[chuckzoo]

I have two hens (barred rocks) now about 7-8 months old. The one hen will cackle for 30 mins while the other hen is in the nesting box. No, I don't believe she wants to use it, I have two boxes and she normally lays later in the day. If I go out there she calms down but as soon as I leave she starts up again. This is freaking me out as it is 7:30 every morning for 30 mins and I am afaid the neighbours will start to complain. I think she may have speration axiety. Please does anyone have any suggestions????????

 

[loralei]

I have no clue but I'm curious. Does she use the same nesting box as the early layer? Maybe she doesn't like the other gal using "her" box?

 

[lalaland]

I think it is just the hen singing the "egg song". Probably louder to you than to your neighbors, and less annoying than barking dogs. If you are really worried, work on a good relationship with your neighbors - it is harder to complain about someone who has gone out of their way to be nice to you!

 

[Chooksaurus]

One of our hens will do the same thing whenever the other hens go in the nesting box. She will even start singing the eggs song for them. I think she is just a combination of a Lamaze coach and cheerleader doing what she can to "encourage" the rest.


Either that or she is just nuts...it's a toss-up!

 

[chuckzoo]

Yes, they use the same nesting box. I started with one nesting box, then added another because I thought she may want to use the box at the same time, alas, this did not give the desired result.

The another hen actually does not cackle - I wish I could clone her!!!

It is definately the hen that is left alone that does the cackling just as soon as her friend leaves to go up into the nesting box she starts and stops when her friend comes back down again.

 

[emys]

You only have 2 hens. Hens don't like being out of visual contact with at least one other hen. Try keeping them both inside the coop until the first hen lays her egg. Then let them out. See if that has anything to do with it.

(Or..you could get some more hens - just to see if that will help.)

 

[chuckzoo]

Quote:
I loved your response - it really made me chuckle!

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think she's just a vocal one. She feels obligated to sing for the non-singing chicken.

Are you very very close to your neighbors?

I used to worry about chicken noises from my house until i realized that when i was on the other side of my own house, i couldn't hear them myself. The egg song isn't nearly the noise problem that rooster crowing is in my opinion. Of course, i personally love the rooster crowing too.

 

[chuckzoo]

Quote:
Thats interesting. I'll give that a try. I wish I would have gotten 3 hens but have limited space........Where can I get a barred rock decoy?

 

[ace6175]

I had my White Leghorn, Jane, yelling at my BA, Chickadee, to hurry up & get out of the nest box this morning! Even though there are 7 other nest boxes, she wanted to use that one!