Stressed Chickens - help!

[krista74]

Hubby and I decided we had to remove the leg bands on our chickens, which were there from when we bought them a month and a half ago, as they were getting to tight. We followed everyone into the coop in the evening (at bedtime) and picked up each chicken, removed the band, and put it back on the floor. Our birds are NOT used to being handled, and even though we were quiet it appears we have frightened them. When we went to check on them an hour later, they were huddled on the floor making 'cluck, cluck sounds' and seemed distressed. We went back in and picked up each bird (including our cockerel), placing it on the roost, where they would usually sleep. They are still clucking now. Will they be ok? I am beside myself with worry. What should I do? Just try and re-establish normal routine in the morning? Help! Krista (AKA: Worried Chicken Mama....)

 

[subhanalah]

They'll be okay business as usual. Maybe they are talking about how they were just "abducted and fiddled with by another species"

 

[krista74]

Perhaps they are. When I saw them huddled on the floor I felt like it was like they were reverting back to when they were little. They used to sleep on the floor when we first got them. In your experience, do you think this will put them off laying? I had 2 lay their first eggs today. Are there any signs I should worry about? I know I sound paranoid but I am so very attached to them and am devastated I have made them feel unsafe. Krista

 

[subhanalah]

Perhaps they are.  When I saw them huddled on the floor I felt like it was like they were reverting back to when they were little. They used to sleep on the floor when we first got them.  In your experience, do you think this will put them off laying?  I had 2 lay their first eggs today.  Are there any signs I should worry about?  I know I sound paranoid but I am so very attached to them and am devastated I have made them feel unsafe.  Krista

you never know how stress will affect them. There's no telling! Too many factors to consider.

 

[krista74]

I just went and had a listen to what they were up to. All is quiet in the coop. Maybe they have settled down and are calming themselves. In the mean time, I have prepared a 'special' bucket of treats to give them in the morning. Yes, I'm going to crawl back into their good books with food.


Thankyou for your comforting comments. I will go and try to calm myself now

Krista

 

[subhanalah]

I think I did the same thing to mine once...oh, wait...Every time I try to wrangle them back into their pen so the big birds can go to bed!

 

[aart]

Perhaps they are. When I saw them huddled on the floor I felt like it was like they were reverting back to when they were little. They used to sleep on the floor when we first got them. In your experience, do you think this will put them off laying? I had 2 lay their first eggs today. Are there any signs I should worry about? I know I sound paranoid but I am so very attached to them and am devastated I have made them feel unsafe. Krista

If it was dark and you took them off the roost then put them on the floor they probably couldn't see to get back up on the roost, so good move to put them back on the roost.
They may go off laying for a day or two...or not.

 

[krista74]

Thank you I went down early this morning and they were a little wary of me, but not so much that they didn't want the contents of their treat bucket!

I haven't checked for eggs yet (11am is the official egg-checking time at our coop!) but I did spy one brown egg in the nest whilst I was in the coop

Fingers crossed they are all ok today.

Really, they are going to need to get used to it. I have had them a month and a half and still haven't been able to check them for lice/mites, or look at their vents and under their wings.

I wonder if you can buy a chicken sedative for those special occasions?! Just kidding

Krista

 

[aart]

They'll be fine, they don't like change......and we use the term 'chicken' for being scared of something for good reason...but they can also get used to things pretty quickly if you're calm and consistent. Food is chicken love.

 

[krista74]

Update: Today everyone (including myself) has calmed down considerably!

Three out of six laid an egg (one has not started laying yet, and two laid at 2pm and 4pm yesterday, so I didn't expect them to lay today anyway) and things appear to be normal again.

I checked on them all when I locked them in tonight and everyone is on the roost.

Peace has been restored

Thank you everyone for your advice. Krista