Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[SilverC]

A bit of of a weird question I know, but I'll explain the lead up to one of our hens acting a bit strangely!

 

Ok, we have 3 x 2 year old Gingernut Rangers. All free range and lay most days. Leader of the pack is Margaret, followed by Delia, then Loretta.

 

Anyway, a week last Tuesday, Margaret was found sat on the lawn, all puffed up and shivering. Checked her over and she seemed cropbound, so we massaged her crop and physically put her to bed as she couldn't get up the ramp into the coop.

 

Check the next day, and she was still in the same place we put her, shivering and cold. We made her a makeshift bed in the house and brought her in, massaging her crop and pouring oil down her with a syringe (this was on advice of my vet who had come out to see my horses, so I asked for chicken advise while she was there). We also had to force feed her liquidised pellets and water as she wasn't eating or drinking, and supplemented her with nutri-drops. Anyway, the blockage finally cleared after 3 days - the fool had only gone and eaten peanuts off the bird table (which is pretty high, so she must have done an impressive jumpy flap to get up there). The height of the table would also explain the scab on the top of her head and her reluctance to eat, as she found it hard to put her head down to eat or drink, so we figured she must have hurt her neck too.

 

Anyway, after 5 days in, she started to eat and drink herself, and after 8 days was back to full health so we put her back out with the other 2 hens. Delia went absolutely mental on her, jumping on her back and kicking out at her with her feet . Loretta wasn't bothered in the slightest. At one point, Margaret physically ran full pelt towards my other half and launched herself into his arms, and was actually shaking. We figured we'd have to leave them to it, and Margaret's solution was to retreat inside the coop, where she has stayed ever since (since Thursday afternoon). We get her out ourselves but she just runs straight back up the ramp and in.

 

We have forced her to stay out for an hour each day but she won't stay with the other hens, she would rather sit with us (my other half tinkers a lot with his bikes in the garage, and she'll happily sit at the side of him).

 

She is eating and drinking absolutely fine, but hasn't laid for about a fortnight now until today, when she laid an egg then ate it! She's not broody, it's like she's quite happy either on her own in the coop, or with humans. Prior to all of this as mentioned, Margaret was top dog -"Ooops, word censored!"ody messed with her, she was pure evil!

 

Any ideas? Can hens be agoraphobic, or embarrassed that they've been knocked off their throne? The only other thing I can think if is that she is also moulting at the minute, so it could also be that as she's been under the weather, she is also genuinely cold. Any advice/thoughts much appreciated.

[Patricia W]

I think what has happened that the separation from the others has changed the pecking order and she is now at the bottom.

 

What I would do is re-integrate her slowly. You'll need some separate accommodation where she can see the others and be seen by them. Can you rig up a section of your current run with perhaps a cat carrier for her to sleep in? Some people have used garden canes through the eglu run to create a temporary " wall". If you get feed mixed corn or treats along the wall a couple of times a day, they will automatically feed together. Then you could let them mix for short periods free-ranging together.

 

You may only have to do this for a few days until the group re-establishes itself.