Single hen

[Jonny]

This sounds a bit daft but one of our chickens seems very unhappy at the moment.

 

Shes bottom of the pecking order anyway but just recently she takes a while to get out of the cube in the morning, is always on her own when they are free ranging and just generally looks down in the dumps.

 

Anyone else had this or am I just going a bit loopy?

[The Dogmother]

Is she laying at the moment Jonny?

 

Hens are always at the bottom of the pecking order when they aren't laying, most accept this happily though.

 

It might be worth giving her a through health check to see if anything is amiss with her.

[Guest]

is she eating and drinking?

what are her droppings like?

[Hen Watch]

Assuming she is healthy, eating, drinking, not got a softie coming etc. I wouldn't worry but just keep an eye on her.

 

My Stella is at the bottom of the pecking order too. She was introduced just 4 weeks after the others and yet nearly 2 years later she's still bottom of the pile. I see her get reminded of this about once a week (may happen more and I don't spot it).

 

Just today I witnessed top chook jump on her back and pin her down in the run so she could not get to the treat bowl. And yet 10 mins later they were happily sitting next to each other. Very often she wanders round the garden alone whilst the other 3 are together. But then I do catch them sometimes all together or in pairs when free ranging. So I don't worry about it too much since there is nothing I can do to change the pecking order.

[PeckyBeak]

She may be a bit under the weather and other chooks tend to pick on a poorly one. Lavender was disinterested in things and standing on her own, tail down and neck in, and Sweetie had a couple of days when she wasn't eating much and standing quietly. Each time, I put some Battles Poultry Tonic in their water for a week and they were fine after that. Hope she picks up.

[Jonny]

She didn't come out of the cube today so now I think she is poorly. I gave her some tuna and she ate a bit of that. Hopefully she'll perk up.