Why is my pullet suddenly terrified of me?

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

One of our hens went broody and had 8 chicks, it consisted of 5 roos and 3 pullets. The pullet im talking about is a somewhat small rir pullet. Before we had 5 roos she was ok with my existance. She wouldn't run away from me and she would let me pick her up. But when we had 3 roosters left (we culled 3 but we bought another rooster for some reason) she became very skittish. She would still eat out of my hand but she would eat out of it like it was her last meal she would ever eat. Anyway to make her trust me again?

a few disclaimers i might add, she actually get to pick her up she doesnt wriggle out of my arms but instead, she would make small coos. Also, shes very competitive, when she eats out of my hand it hurts alot even before she became skittish of me.

 

[aart]

How old, in weeks or months, is she?
They can change....all those boys running around is not good.
How old are those broody chicks?

 

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

How old, in weeks or months, is she?
They can change....all those boys running around is not good.
How old are those broody chicks?

Shes at laying age, 5 months
The rest of her brood are also 5 months
We're only keeping 2 roos, more pullets will come sooner or later

 

[ackie]

Is there a chance she is being bullied off the food?

 

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

Is there a chance she is being bullied off the food?

No actually, she just gets left alone like the other young pullets. Shes just very good at running with food with her mouth

 

[oldhen2345]

My pullets did the same thing. They were cute and cuddly as chicks and let me hold them. then teen age attitude hit- I could not catch them if my life depended on it- they ran from me and would not eat out of my hand. Later, when they matured into hens, they became curious and sweet and would sit on my lap. It may just be hormones playing with them.

 

[aart]

Shes at laying age, 5 months
The rest of her brood are also 5 months
We're only keeping 2 roos, more pullets will come sooner or later

Oh, so she's one of the broodies chicks?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Any chance she's molting?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I only ask because anytime my birds, young or old, go through a molt, I've found that they try to avoid us because they want to be left alone. My oldest birds are going through their first big molts and their personalities are even completely different. I understand and wouldn't even try to touch them, but they don't know that, so they just keep their distance, even if it's a pullet going through a light molt.

 

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

Oh, so she's one of the broodies chicks?

Yea actually, all 8 of them