Why does she roost alone?

[Charlene]

I have 4 hens, and one that is two years old and part of the original family here has started to roost alone. She goes up in the hay by herself. The last two nights I've put her on the roost with the others as it's been very cold. I think she stays there alright. Any ideas why she would suddenly go rogue? She is just finishing a molt, not sure if that really matters though.

 

[gritsar]

Molts can be painful to the hen. She may not want to be jostled, causing her more pain. Just a guess. I had one that decided to sleep alone while she was molting.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I agree. Hens tend to be less social before, during, and after a molt. It can certainly be painful for them. Mine do the same thing and they generally don't like having contact with anyone, even humans. When all of the feathers are well grown in and the molt is officially over, things get normal. But even after the feathers grow it, it still takes a few more days at least for the feathers to 'spread out' and 'open up'.