Stoat killed hens asleep in the Eglu

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Miss Blenner-Hassett, my Fenning Black (Plymouth rock-type hybrid one?) is really shy. If I go near her she flaps, squawks and flies as best she can away from me. The other three are fine.

 

I've not let them out of the run yet to help hone their nesting/settling in instinct, but I am concerned Miss BH is going to stay very nervously flighty.

 

I go close and stroke and hold them daily, and I know not all hens are 'huggy hens' but I am concerned she might make a break for it and I may be in for a chase across neighbours' fences!

 

Has anyone had a flighty hen which needed major tlc and taming? How long did it take? Any advice?

 

Thanks!

Anna x

[Looney]

Is she laying yet? Mine became so much easier to handle once they started laying (mainly because they started doing the crouch when I came near!).

 

Maybe she'll just take a bit of gentle coaxing and a lot of patience!

[Egluntyne]

She will calm down when she comes into lay.

 

Why not sneak out at night and stroke her and talk to her through the pop hole.

 

Eventually you will feel confident enough to lift her out and hold her.

 

It is a good way of getting used to each other and her used to being handled.

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

I had a hold this morning, and she was ok. A bit chattery, but calmed down when I pull-stroked her tail (the breeder showed me how to do this - sort of put your hand round the whole tail and stroke it up towards the end. It's calming apparently). But if I go to stroke her and I'm not holding her, she leaps away, spooked. Do you think she'll be ok to free range, or will try to flap over a fence if spooked? None have had their wings clipped. The breeder didn't think it necessary having seen I've got 6' fences the whole way round. But we're effectively one of a string of skinny-gardened terraces. So a fence hop could equal a nightmare in terms of getting a flighty hen back!