Why is Lucy nuts?

[bawkbawkbawk]

I received five sweet chicks, all different breeds, from MPC in June. All are healthy and thriving and all but one are relatively friendly and becoming more so as they leave their skittish "adolescence" behind.

But one, Lucy, the Speckled Sussex, is NUTS!

She is SO terrified of me, literally runs crazily like a chicken with its head cut off if I approach her. I ordered the chicks with a focus on friendly, docile breeds and the other four - a Silkie, Mille Fleur d'Uccle, BCM and EE - are fun and friendly. But Lucy is a piece of work. Has anyone else had this experience with a SS? Will she EVER calm down?

I was very lucky to get close enough to get this picture of her:

 

[aoxa]

Has she started laying yet? I had a crazy teenage pullet that was the same way (not the same breed), and she came around as soon as she was P.O.L. I was thrilled! I expected to have to chase her around for the rest of her life

I'm hoping the same is so for your girl. She is beautiful by the way!

 

[Schwartzfarmnc]

Sorry Lucy is acting "nuts".

My 2 SS's are very docile and have been great girls, but I did notice that once they started laying their personality was altered but nothing like you speak of, so maybe it's something she will grow out of, because they are wonderful birds I love both we have.

 

[debs_flock]

My SS, Susie is exactly the same way. I always assumed she was nuts because she was picked on when I first added her and Marilyn, the welsummer to the flock. They were late additions. Marilyn has gotten bolder and stands her ground, but Susie still screams and runs if anyone looks in her direction. Of course this just makes them chase her. If she gets separate from Marilyn, she will call and wander around the coop until she finds her and they always roost side by side.

She does like me and comes to me when she is scared. I think because I had to protect her and calm her when she was picked on (and treat her wound). She will still come over and put her head to the fence so I can pet her.

She's still probably a few weeks away from POL. She is a very sweet bird and one of my favorites. My DH calls her the chicken chicken.

Deb

 

[tuesdays chicks]

never know with chickens just temperment I have 2 ee's that have totally different personalities 1 friendly as ever the other like your lucy both hand raised from eggs.

 

[MamaMarcy]

Well, firstly, your post title made me laugh pretty hard

Secondly, I have no clue (sorry)

Thirdly, she's gorgeous!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Had a SS just like her, Sarah. She was a complete lunatic-acted like I wanted to stuff her in the crockpot. She had to be euthanized at 10 weeks old because her crop was just not working, but dang, that was one nutty pullet! I had one older SS hen, Nelda, who was sweet, but never super friendly like the breed should be, either. My screen name is speckledhen because SS were one breed I wanted to own before I even had chickens, but once I had them, both from a breeder and from a hatchery, I found I wasn't fond of them at all, other than their looks.

 

[cravenchx]

Must be the name Lucy. My Lucy is nuts also.
She may be low in the pecking order.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't seen anyone picking on her. She hangs with the flock, I would say she's neither high nor low on the pecking order. Actually, no one seems particularly "low" in this pecking order. Even my little Silkie will stand up for herself now and then.

Interesting that others have had this experience with the SS breed. Another thing I've noticed about her is that she's shaped a bit more like a game hen than my other birds. Maybe SS have a different heritage?

It's one thing to be wary, but just like someone else said, Lucy will actually scream and run away when all I'm doing is coming toward her slowly with a handful of scratch. Bird brain!

 

[papinator]

My americauna got much more friendly after having started laying... her sister... not so much, but she's only given me one egg... still waiting on more... and she has get to display any egg laying behaviors, so I'm thinking the one she did lay was an "accident" lol