What's my chicken doing?

[mrsjoc]

I have 5 girls and 1 rooster. I started letting them roam around in the yard about a month ago and they seem to enjoy it. Recently, one of the girls has started to seperate herself from the others. The other four stay right around the rooster (and who wouldn't? he's a good catch) but she is by herself most of the time. She has been going under the house and staying there. I thought maybe she was sitting (brooding?) eggs but I'm not sure. This morning I looked outside and she was sleeping on the back porch. Should I be concerned with her anti-social behavior? Is there anything I should be looking out for? Any signs? The others don't seem to be picking on her at all when they are together so I don't know what's going on....

Thanks for the help!
mrsjoc

 

[fuzziebutt]

She may be the lowest in the pecking order, and has figured out that a man isn't worth the trouble! I digress. Anyway, they don't always peck, they growl and intimidate each other. The meekest ones will stay away from a confrontation. That's probably what has happened.

 

[KattyKillFish]

EMO CHICKEN!

just kidding. she probably is the subordinate female, just as fuzziebutt says. the meekest one would usually rather stay away than be right where she can be intimidated/picked on. i had one like that last summer, and as the chickens got a bit older and wiser they sort of grew out of it.

 

[jimnjay]

Sounds like she is trying to go broody to me. They sometimes take a week or so to get down to serious business. Is she laying? If not she may be under the weather. You might check to see if you can see the droppings. If she has runny poop or discolored it may be a sign of some sort of intestional issue. Cocci or worms. You might try to isolate her and keep an eye for problems. Medication may be in order,

 

[fuzziebutt]

I had one that had not laid an egg for 6 months, and just went broody. I put some eggs under her and she hatched them out and is raising them. When she sleeps on the porch, is she on something flat or on a rail? She may be trying to get broody and looking for a place to get comfortable.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I agree wth these answers. She could very well be the lowest in the order. I have a flock mixed with bantams and standards and the banties don't want anything to do with the standards when free-ranging. The roos (who are all bantams) stick with the standards and the banty hens create their own splinter group. Totally normal and I don't have a problem when they have each other.

She could also be going broody. It isn't unheard of. However, if she were going broody she'd be spending her time perfecting her skills, not napping.

She seems subbordinate and she doesn't want to be the other hens' play-toy. This is okay. If you don't notice her eating normally and she begins to look sick, that is something to worry about. But she sounds totally fine. After my flock free-range all day, they take some time at about noon to roost on a nice branch and preen themselves, nap, and just hang.

 

[cmom]

I agree.