Why won't 1 hen go in coop at nite, hangs alone?

[Beekissed]

You know? I read that whole post and never saw one reference to this hen being injured by the other birds. She was brought in from being by the road at night with blood on her~could have been a predator or one of the cats. No reports of actually seeing her getting pecked or picked on by the other flock members. Did I miss something?

There are many folks who let deformed or crippled chickens run with the rest of the flock and some report them getting picked on, but this one seems to be just getting pushed around a little at feeding time.

Personally, I would have culled a weak or crippled bird from my flocks if I had ever had one~never have had one all these years. But, if one wants to keep it and it isn't actually getting injured by the flock, it seems kind of cruel to isolate it from its own species and force it to live in a human environment.

 

[janinepeters]

The 4th paragraph of the initial post said:
"Also, when I brought her in last nite, she had fresh bright red blood on her comb and beak."

This occurred while she was with the other birds, correct? Bloody comb is what I've seen to be the precursor of further violence.

 

[Beekissed]

I think, if you review paragraph three, she was outside the coop and out by the road prior to the bloody head incident. This doesn't necessarily indicate it was inflicted by another chicken....the OP doesn't know the etiology of the injury/blood. This appears to be a free range flock, so anything goes at that point.

Free ranging is particularly nice for weaker chickens as they can easily avoid the other chickens if they are being chased.

 

[sharol]

I would give the OP credit for knowing her chickens. If she sees this as a threat to Emma, then she is probably right and needs to act accordingly. My lowest ranking pullet spends time by herself, but she is never pecked or bullied without a reason. Another (higher ranking chicken) will peck her once lightly to get her to move away from a desired dusting spot, but the same pullet will then be scratching and scrounging right next to her. I feel bad about her not getting her share of treats, but that is life in a chicken flock I guess.

 

[janinepeters]

Sharol said:
"I would give the OP credit for knowing her chickens."

Yes, and if the hen does not want to go to the coop to roost at night, there is probably a good reason. This is how bullied birds behave.

 

[guanyin]

I had a similar story. A neighbor brought me a beautiful black hen that he found along the road at night. She was always a loner and although she recovered and became a good layer, she was always last in the coop or would stay out. One night we couldn't find her and we assume she was eaten judging by a patch of feathers we fond in the woods. Interestingly, her daughter ( although not raised by her) acted in a similar way. I am now up to third generation and there is always that tendency to be alone and to be last i the roost!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I used to, too. Now I keep some oats and BOSS, or whatever, in my pocket, and when I catch a lower order bird a little away from the group, I sneak her some extra treats.

 

[sharol]

So do I. I'm a sucker for the underdog. I try to sneak her some of the treats out of sight of the others. She's pretty shy, though. Today when it was so cold (22 degrees in the coop- the heat comes on at 20), she actually got on my leg when I sat down in the coop to keep them company. It was the first time, so maybe she will relax a bit when her laying gets going. I think it was she who laid the softshell egg from the roost overnight last night.

Quote:
I used to, too. Now I keep some oats and BOSS, or whatever, in my pocket, and when I catch a lower order bird a little away from the group, I sneak her some extra treats.

 

[Muscovies]

She could use some buddies or she is just blind