Depressed Hen?

Julie · **Joined:** Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:37 pm **Posts:** 23

Over the past few weeks my silky hen has retreated to her pen and rarely roams the garden any more. She does not seem ill as she eats and drinks normally. Yesterday I put her outside and shut the pen door as I thought she needed some time in the elements and to scratch in the soil etc. I would liken her symptoms more to 'depression' than illness', it seems a big stretch but could that be possible? We only have two hens at the moment, we had two roosters that have gone onto other places. But that was months ago. Any ideas? (we live in Brisbane and the day temp is temperate so do not think she is cold)
Thanks Julie

Sebducks · **Joined:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:41 pm **Posts:** 812

Hi Julie

Is your other hen a silky too? Do they get along with eachother? Is the roo hastling the little silky? I have several silky hens here that love to free range with the rest of the flock but in the past I have had problems when the roo's have been overzealous with the hens and are either hurting them or frightening them. I have also had a hen retreat to the pen with a sore foot so it will be worthwhile to check out her feet.

Julie · **Joined:** Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:37 pm **Posts:** 23

Hi
The other hen is also a silky, probably a few months younger and she seems the more submissive of the two. I think they get on fine as the younger one retreats with her but would rather be roaming around I think. We no longer have any roosters. Reading your reply made me wonder if she might be lonely and perhaps bored with just one other younger mate? Do you think that is a possibility? I will check her feet though. thank you for the suggestion.
Regards
Julie

Sebducks · **Joined:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:41 pm **Posts:** 812

Did they both free range happily before this? It just makes me wonder if there is an underlying health issue. I have found that the silkies aren't really good "leaders" so perhaps even one more to boulster their morale and their courage or a pekin to help with the out goingness so to speak.

Julie · **Joined:** Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:37 pm **Posts:** 23

Yes they would spend all day out and even would perch on the vege garden edgeing at night until I put them back in the pen. It is very uncharacteristic.
Are pekins small or larger hens and can you tell there sex at an early age?

Sebducks · **Joined:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:41 pm **Posts:** 812

Yes pekins are small, similiar in size to silkies.
I just had another thought while reading your post, you don't have any crows around do you Julie? Crows can and do kill silkies and perhaps this or something else has frightened them? As you have said it is out of character for the hens who normally would be enjoying the outdoor area. If you have checked them all well over for problems and they have no underlying health issues (worms), no sore feet etc then I'd say it could be something in their environment which is frightening them.

Crow, new dog, large roaming cat, hawk, something new in the garden? Just thinking.

Julie · **Joined:** Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:37 pm **Posts:** 23

I think you might be right about the crows. I have just started to notice them myself over the last few weeks. I don't think they have always been in the area. So if they are frightened of the crows is there a way to manage this short of investing in a sling shot? Would having more chickens help them overcome their fear of the crows.
Also how can I tell if they have worms, do i check their poo?
Thanks for your help.

Sebducks · **Joined:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:41 pm **Posts:** 812

Crows are awful things, years ago I would never have believed that they would kill chooks and chickens but after coming home to see them killing our silkies

I don't trust them at all.

I think they target the silkies because they don't see well and are easier targets, I have seen the larger hens chase off a crow or two.
You will find that not all crows do it (the killing I mean) but there will be one or two who work together who will get the taste for it. You can try chasing them off with loud noises, waving brooms at them and other things hung in the trees but they are very smart. As for their worms if you haven't wormed them in the last three months or so then it won't hurt to worm them with a good all purpose wormer anyway just to be on the safe side.

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Depressed Hen?

Who is on the Forum