The Odd Ball

[Booswalia]

Hi,
I'm concerned about one of my chickens. I have two Delawares and one Whiterock. The Delawares have been laying for about 4 weeks now but the Whiterock has not . She's just starting to develop comb and I'm not too concerned about her not laying but... At night when I go out to close things down she's always in the nest and not on the roost. This started about 2 weeks ago. I move her over to roost even though I hate trying to get her out of there. I put her on the roost and she stays there for the night, (to the best of my knowledge).

Yesterday I hung an old dish towel over the nest so she wouldn't get in it and it worked but she decided to sleep on the floor of the coop instead. The other two are like real pals and they don't let her join in any reindeer games but they don't really pick on her either. She just seems like a real loner. (NO, I'm not getting another chicken)

Any thoughts? Should I keep moving her onto the roost every night?

 

[2DogsFarm]

Don't overthink it.
If the 3 are getting along pretty well otherwise - no pecking, missing feathers or other damage to the Loner - then they will work it out themselves.

I have 5 pullets and recently one has started roosting by herself.
They used to line up all 5 in a row, but now she sets herself on a separate roost.

From my limited experience with chickens (owner for just over 4 months now!) I have seen the flock dynamic change a couple times already.

My Houdan used to be the Odd One Out, but now it's one of the Delawares. And the Black Star who used to run the flock seems to be giving up her #1 spot

As long as they are happy, healthy and laying let them be their own chickens.

 

[Booswalia]

Thanks. I won't lose sleep over it then.

The Whiterock is quite shy around me too. At least, compared to the other two clowns. Perhaps she just needs her space right now. You know, hormonal changes and such...

 

[apukanski]

I have two chickens that occasionally sleep in a different area, I used to put them on the roost, then i figured maybe they wanted peace for a night. I can relate, so, I leave them alone.