What is wrong with her? Traumatized pullet?

[OzarkChooks]

Ok, so I used to have two cockerels and now I have one. The culled cockerel, Jefferson, was very rough with the ladies and I had two specific pullets that hid from him. Since he was culled, one of the pullets has returned to the flock and is back to normal. The other one still hides and lives deep in the woods, only returning to the coop after dark and spending her whole day hiding from the whole flock. The remaining cockerel I have, Bruno, is not rough and is actually quite nice to the girls. He found the pullet who hides yesterday and mated with her, I saw them. When he was done she just sprawled out on the ground and wouldn't move. I checked her out, no injuries. Is she just this disturbed by mating? The previous cockerel was horrible to her but he has been gone for a little while now. Will she ever go back to normal?

 

[FeatherTay]

Ok, so I used to have two cockerels and now I have one. The culled cockerel, Jefferson, was very rough with the ladies and I had two specific pullets that hid from him. Since he was culled, one of the pullets has returned to the flock and is back to normal. The other one still hides and lives deep in the woods, only returning to the coop after dark and spending her whole day hiding from the whole flock. The remaining cockerel I have, Bruno, is not rough and is actually quite nice to the girls. He found the pullet who hides yesterday and mated with her, I saw them. When he was done she just sprawled out on the ground and wouldn't move. I checked her out, no injuries. Is she just this disturbed by mating? The previous cockerel was horrible to her but he has been gone for a little while now. Will she ever go back to normal?

Sounds like chicken PTSD, although i don’t know if that’s a thing. I don’t have any ideas, hopefully someone comes along to help!

 

[ElizaMay]

She does indeed sound like she was traumatized, and animals certainly do have memories of circumstances involving fear or pain. Hens after mating generally stand immediately, ruffle their feathers, and get on with life, even if they weren't totally onboard with it. If she stayed frozen after being bred, she was fearful. Is there a way to place her in a protected fenced atea where she can see life going on without the cockerel forcing himself on her? Because unless she squatted for him, she was not agreeing to the mating. It is sad that Bruno felt compelled to hunt her down and breed her - has he not got enough other hens to 'pester'?

 

[OzarkChooks]

She does indeed sound like she was traumatized, and animals certainly do have memories of circumstances involving fear or pain. Hens after mating generally stand immediately, ruffle their feathers, and get on with life, even if they weren't totally onboard with it. If she stayed frozen after being bred, she was fearful. Is there a way to place her in a protected fenced atea where she can see life going on without the cockerel forcing himself on her? Because unless she squatted for him, she was not agreeing to the mating. It is sad that Bruno felt compelled to hunt her down and breed her - has he not got enough other hens to 'pester'?

I was walking to the garden and I saw her trying to sneak into the coop, probably to lay an egg. Bruno saw her from a distance and came running over. She tried to jump onto my shoulder but she slipped off and then squatted for Bruno. He didn't rough her up but he did mate with her. He has 7 other pullets right now. The previous cockerel would chase this particular pullet all day for some reason and he wod grab her by the head and neck and shake her around, ripping out lots of feathers. He was awful. My daughter cried when she saw him mate her. Bruno does NOT do this to her but he is oddly obsessed with mating her every time he sees her (which is not often). I am so worried she is going to get eaten by something because she wanders off and hides so deep in the forest. I have some 6 week old pullets that I have in a separate area...should I keep her with them?

 

[ElizaMay]

If she was trying to get away from him on your shoulder and failed then saw she had no escape, she squatted to avoid expected abuse.

I have an exteremely timid hamburg bantam hen, who came to me after being raised to live in a house and sleep on the person's bed!! She is so timid, she squatted for a standard sized cockerel who looked like an elephant - you could not even see her beneath him (he was the horny red rooster I had to separate and give to a person with 10 mature hens to teach him manners). She also squats next to my current rooster if she is trapped by other hens around him leaving the coop in the morning and he pecks her on the head trying to get her out of her squat and her 'out of his hair'. Timid hens can squat out of fear, I am very glad you said Bruno didn't peck your little pullet. But she didn't invite him, she cowered.

You might try putting her in with your younger birds, ensuring there are a few feed and water stations, and some places for smaller birds to shelter. I would keep an eye out too to make certain she is kind to them. Heaven forbid she turned bully!

 

[OzarkChooks]

If she was trying to get away from him on your shoulder and failed then saw she had no escape, she squatted to avoid expected abuse.

I have an exteremely timid hamburg bantam hen, who came to me after being raised to live in a house and sleep on the person's bed!! She is so timid, she squatted for a standard sized cockerel who looked like an elephant - you could not even see her beneath him (he was the horny red rooster I had to separate and give to a person with 10 mature hens to teach him manners). She also squats next to my current rooster if she is trapped by other hens around him leaving the coop in the morning and he pecks her on the head trying to get her out of her squat and her 'out of his hair'. Timid hens can squat out of fear, I am very glad you said Bruno didn't peck your little pullet. But she didn't invite him, she cowered.

You might try putting her in with your younger birds, ensuring there are a few feed and water stations, and some places for smaller birds to shelter. I would keep an eye out too to make certain she is kind to them. Heaven forbid she turned bully!

I agree, she seemed to squat out of fear. I only have experience with these two cockerels so I just viewed Bruno as gentle compared to the other one. Clearly she doesn't agree. Yes, I think I will try her out with the 6 week olds. Hopefully she doesn't try to hurt them.

 

[aart]

Not really fitting the pullet/cockerel scenario, but might give you some insight:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

 

[ElizaMay]

Yes, sometimes it is the bullied who can benefit from being separated, yet still able to remain connected to the fl9ck through a fence or enclosure. Just the same as when introducing new birds to a flock, or a new cat to a household of other cats, seeing, smelling, watching, but no touching till everyone gets familiar.

 

[McChooky]

I wouldn't advise adding her with the 6 week old chicks. They could seriously be hurt.

 

[McChooky]

I was walking to the garden and I saw her trying to sneak into the coop, probably to lay an egg. Bruno saw her from a distance and came running over. She tried to jump onto my shoulder but she slipped off and then squatted for Bruno. He didn't rough her up but he did mate with her. He has 7 other pullets right now. The previous cockerel would chase this particular pullet all day for some reason and he wod grab her by the head and neck and shake her around, ripping out lots of feathers. He was awful. My daughter cried when she saw him mate her. Bruno does NOT do this to her but he is oddly obsessed with mating her every time he sees her (which is not often). I am so worried she is going to get eaten by something because she wanders off and hides so deep in the forest. I have some 6 week old pullets that I have in a separate area...should I keep her with them?

Chicks are also highly susceptible to coccidia and other diseases at 6 weeks old. Its not a good idea to add a 5 month old that avoids all the chicks she was raised with.She has a great potential to be a bully .The lowest in the pecking order is cruelest to newcomers