Anxious Chicken

[BlindLemonChicken]

I do the same with handling. I feel like once they start feathering out they get annoyed with it then later they get back into it. It occurred to me to ask if you have checked his eyes. I had a chicken I thought was super flighty and later I figured out (when I accidentally rehomed her seeing-eye chicken) that one of her pupils was deformed. After that she acted very much like you’re describing-didn’t want to explore even when she could go out into the yard. I couldn’t exactly ask for the other chicken back so I was stuck trying to figure out how to help her. Does he go out of the coop to eat or do you have to bring him food in the coop? It sounds like he goes out to eat then gets spooked and goes back?

 

[SFalpaca]

I do the same with handling. I feel like once they start feathering out they get annoyed with it then later they get back into it. It occurred to me to ask if you have checked his eyes. I had a chicken I thought was super flighty and later I figured out (when I accidentally rehomed her seeing-eye chicken) that one of her pupils was deformed. After that she acted very much like you’re describing-didn’t want to explore even when she could go out into the yard. I couldn’t exactly ask for the other chicken back so I was stuck trying to figure out how to help her. Does he go out of the coop to eat or do you have to bring him food in the coop? It sounds like he goes out to eat then gets spooked and goes back?

No, I have not checked his eyes. Silkies eyes, at least the few we have had, are just big and black. I do make sure his do isn't in his eyes, but I haven't really just looked at his eyes. Good idea. I'll do that. And because he wouldn't go outside and we live in snow country, I keep a feeders and waterers inside.

 

[ChickenMama1212]

Is there something you can give a chicken to help with anxiety? I'm thinking like Rescue Remedy, but for birds (cause you can't give RR to birds). I have an almost year old silkie roo, who I swear has anxiety issues. He's always been this way. I'm not sure why. We got him as a week old from a hatchery. His "sibs" are all calm and "silkie" like, and he's a basket case. I have chicken cams in the coop and in the run. And we have them on in the house almost all the time, so I have a pretty good idea of behaviors. I've never seen him bullied. He acts scared of everything. For example, he's afraid to go outside. He'll stand in the doorway looking out. Like he wants to go, but then will run and hide inside. If I put him outside in the run far from the doors, he goes back inside almost immediately. It's like he acts like big man on campus and a little wellsummer hen says boo, and he runs off in terror. I was wondering if there was something we could give him to just take the edge off so he could cope better? Make his life better and everyone elses too.

Have you tried CBD drops for chickens? I've not tried it for our girls, but I am curious, as CBD works for me as well. Hope this helps.

https://poultrydvm.com/supplement/cannabidiol

 

[RedStarMadame]

Is there something you can give a chicken to help with anxiety? I'm thinking like Rescue Remedy, but for birds (cause you can't give RR to birds). I have an almost year old silkie roo, who I swear has anxiety issues. He's always been this way. I'm not sure why. We got him as a week old from a hatchery. His "sibs" are all calm and "silkie" like, and he's a basket case. I have chicken cams in the coop and in the run. And we have them on in the house almost all the time, so I have a pretty good idea of behaviors. I've never seen him bullied. He acts scared of everything. For example, he's afraid to go outside. He'll stand in the doorway looking out. Like he wants to go, but then will run and hide inside. If I put him outside in the run far from the doors, he goes back inside almost immediately. It's like he acts like big man on campus and a little wellsummer hen says boo, and he runs off in terror. I was wondering if there was something we could give him to just take the edge off so he could cope better? Make his life better and everyone elses too.

Newbie here. I play Calming Chicken Music on YouTube for mine and they purr.

 

[Twilia]

I worked for years in a zoo. I know all about anthropomorphizing. I also know about asking questiosn in more laymans terms to be relatable to a large group of people. I also am well trained in observation. I did read the article you suggested and found it interesting, but it has nothing to do with my question. And very few people would call Rescue Remedy a drug.

Now back to my question, I have a young roo who is highly agitated for no appear reason. This is based on daily observation for nearly a year. This agitation was noticed within hours of him arriving at my house. And while it's not constant. It can be observed daily and frequently every day. This agitation is directly at people, chickens, llamas (dude you can't take on a 450lb animal and think you're going to win that one), and objects. In people terms, he's scared of everything then picks a fight with it.

I do know that putting things like lavendar in the nesting boxes can be calming to hens. Is the same true for roos and if so, where do you put it. He doesn't go in the nest box. Is there anything else that you have found that calms agitated chickens?

We have about 25sqft per bird (mostly bantams), mutliple waters and feeders. When we give treats we do so in multiple places so everyone gets some. Resources are plenty.

Seriously, I think it would be closer to reality "humanize" an animal than to act like they are robotic;-)
Though like I said, humans only have a few actually unique traits that differ from any animals... Mind you @BlindLemonChicken, not to be too frank or directed at you even, I do get it ;-) Alot people who have intense animal experience would understand this.

Like I recently discovered Carl Safina has a good example of animal feelings and emotion. Check it out.

It appears that when one tries to have a mature and critical dialog about animal emotion, everyone without the understanding wants to hit you with the 'anthropomorphizing'.
Like your 'pet' dog, we are all the same in the important ways, only different. Just be open and observant enough to see it

take care,
_Twilia ;-)

 

[Twilia]

And sorry I got on late These things are so much easier in person when I don't have to spend the time just getting the run-down.

Lets see: Nervous or anxiety

• Fear, confusion, survival instinct.
• Boredom or lack of mental stimulation
• Illness or discomfort
• Unique individual behavior
• Training and rehabilitation are possible if patient and knowledgeable.

My first guess would be probably a learned/experience behavior.

1. What has he been his constant all this time (hen mates, your dog, the coop, etc.)
2. Why is he afraid? What is there? What has he been exposed to?
3. Why doesn't his flock react the same? Is it a personality thing or a personal experience thing?
4. Any past *traumatic experience (like the time the dog jumped into the brooder, etc.)

Maybe these questions can help you narrow the margin, as curiosity is our best tool in this case, keep the questions coming;-) Perhaps (if you can find the trigger assuming there is one) you might use counterconditioning or desensitization to curb the nervousness.

Will try to find time to check this thread during work if providence allows


take care
_twilia;-)

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Seriously, I think it would be closer to reality "humanize" an animal than to act like they are robotic;-)
Though like I said, humans only have a few actually unique traits that differ from any animals... Mind you @BlindLemonChicken, not to be too frank, I do get it ;-) Alot people who have intense animal experience would understand this.

Like I recently discovered Carl Safina has a good example of animal feelings and emotion. Check it out.

It appears that when one tries to have a mature and critical dialog about animal emotion, everyone without the understanding wants to hit you with the 'anthropomorphizing'.
Like your 'pet' dog, we are all the same in the important ways, only different. Just be open and observant enough to see it

take care,
_Twilia ;-)

Maybe I’ve been living with an anthropologist too long lol. I get it. I just have a lot of mental road blocks up to it because I see people doing it to the detriment of animals. Not in this case, obviously and I didn’t mean to imply that, but there are the lone chicken in an apartment in a cage people and the chicken in a diaper people and I think there is a fine line between that and just wanting the best for an animal. I think OP wants the best for this poor dude but I also think the best way to help is to look at the big picture because we are outside of it. It’s easy to think we know what the best solution is (and we might be right), but when we look at it and live with it every day it can become a forest-for-the-trees thing.

 

[Twilia]

Of course. I understand that perspective, thank you for mentioning that

Too extreme in either direction is dangerous. There is a balance to reality, and I find that respected Truth by using our critical thinking skills, curiosity, and being fresh about traditions, or preconceptions.
*sigh, only wish there were more with 'common' sense...

 

[Twilia]

Cognitive behavioral therapy emphasize what is going on in the person’s current life, rather than what has led up to their difficulties. A certain amount of information about one’s history is needed, but the focus is primarily on moving forward in time to develop more effective ways of coping with life. -Source: APA Div. 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology)

CBT is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behavior) all interact together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior. Therefore, negative and unrealistic thoughts can cause us distress and result in problems. When a person suffers from psychological distress, how they interpret situations becomes skewed, which, in turn, has a negative impact on the actions they take.

Try looking into this; it is usually based on the client/therapist working together, but perhaps it can apply in some aspect to this darling roo.

I worked late today, but of course I would not be able sleep well without trying to dig up some ideas for you and yours... an annoying thing of mine is I have to try and help people even if I don't necessarily like them (not in this case, just saying). D*mn it, it can be irritating at times.

_twilia;-)

 

[SFalpaca]

No, I have not checked his eyes. Silkies eyes, at least the few we have had, are just big and black. I do make sure his do isn't in his eyes, but I haven't really just looked at his eyes. Good idea. I'll do that. And because he wouldn't go outside and we live in snow country, I keep a feeders and waterers inside.

I gave his eyes a good look over, and they look the same as the other Silkie Roos. So nothing obvious.