my hen is in hiding from my rooster- what can I do

County Lodge · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:42 pm

HI Guys,

I have a light sussex hen that Larry(the LS rooster) hurt during his amourous love making. I was not aware that I should trim the spurs and claws on the rooster and as he is a very big boy and heavy he accidentially ripped both her sides. I have had her separated from him (in my silkie pen) for 4 months. She is completely healed and healthy. I put her back in the light sussex pen 2 days ago and she will not come out of the nesting box when he is in the pen and when they are let out in the morning and they go on their wanders she will venture out of the box only then but will not follow them free ranging. None of my others hens or pullets have a problem with Larry and follow him willingly everywhere. I have had her in the silkie pen and I have a rooster in there and she was not afraid of him and they got along quite happily. But I don't really want light sussex/silkie crosses running around.

How can I encourage her to be a normal hen again? I have trimmed Larry's spurs and claws and told her that but she just won't believe me. Does anyone have any ideas. She is a nice hen that I want to breed with.

Deans' Poultry · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:56 pm

Chook psychologist? :-?

It's like a chook that has been hit by a dog, they'll always have that fear of dogs but in her case she is scared of big roosters.

I really don't know what ya gonna be able to do to CL :-?

Have you got any older cockerals or roosters bigger than a silkie rooster you could try her with to gain confidence around bigger roosters maybe?

County Lodge · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:50 pm

I have the Larry's young cockerels from the last hatch. They are just starting to crow now about 5 months old. Maybe I could put her with the apricot chook that I thought was a she and turned out to be a he. He is from that hatching and I have him separate with the young pekin cockerels. It is not a bad idea. But she was not worried about Snowball at all but she seems to be terrified of Larry. Poor thing she is scared for life.

Other than that I only have the silkie rooster and a pekin rooster who is even smaller than the silkie.

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

Dont Panic to much I had the same problem with one of my RIR hens ,and she did come round eventually , Ian

Jeff Trescott · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:17 pm

yep I also had the same & she joined the group a few days later.

Jeff

County Lodge · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:51 am

HI Guys,

My hen is still in hiding. She stays in the nesting box and when I let Larry and the rest of the girls out she will come out and stay on the roost for the rest of the day. She won't even come out into the open part of the pen. She seems to be eating and drinking still as these are in under the covered area from which she will not venture. :cry:

Deans' Poultry · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:03 am

I know Ian is taking some sussex cockerals to the markets on Saturday. Not sure how old. Maybe if they are the rite age you could grab one of them and try him with your frightened hen. Might give her the confidence to be around bigger roosters. If not i'll be taking some 20 week old plymouth rock and australorp cockerals.

Should you decide to go that way of course

County Lodge · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:42 pm

Thanks Darren, I have a couple of young light sussex cockerels of my own that I am trying to get rid of or build up the courage to eat.

I think I will just give up and put her back with the silkie rooster. She likes him and I can tell her eggs fron the silkie girls as her's are bigger.

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