I think my chicken is depressed

[Deykink]

so, I got a new dog last Saturday and the second day she was out she attacked one of my chickens and made a deep wound in her back/tail and I tried to help the chicken by cleaning the wound and blood and after that I set her down in the coop and she just done was she normally would do but 2 days later she passed away....and one of our chickens wouldn’t get out of the coop and today I made her get out and when it was time to put the chickens up, she didn’t bother to follow me but the others did....she hid under the shed and I had trouble getting her out so one of my other dogs ran her out under the shed and the chicken ran into two wooded sticks and she hid under there and I had to get her out which it was a struggle but I managed. When I took her back to the coop with the other chickens she immediately went inside the chicken house.
I was wondering if she was depressed because she’s beginning to isolate herself in the back of the chicken house and she refuses to come out to eat or drink.

 

[azygous]

From where I stand, it appears you are trying to make connections between cause and effect, but ending up ignoring the obvious.

Dogs, unless they are well trained and behave well around chickens, stress chickens and can injure them, either playfully or maliciously. In the case of your first chicken that was injured by your new dog, any open wound will have a raging infection within half a day, and that is likely why that chicken died.

The chicken that now appears to be depressed is likely stressed by the dog(s). Chickens aren't stupid, and they observe what happens to their mates, and that will frighten them and stress them for days afterward. Trying to find safety by hanging out in the coop is a normal reaction to what has happened this week with the dog incidents.

Chickens will get over the stress, but if you can't keep the dog problems from keeping happening, the stress can become chronic and that will affect your chickens' health and ability to lay eggs. Chickens understand that they are prey and are vulnerable. They need protection and to know that they are safe. It's your job to make sure they stay safe.

 

[Eggcessive]

X2.

 

[coach723]

Well said. X3

 

[Callender Girl]

I also believe that your poor chicken is stressed and scared. My most outgoing, dominant hen had similar reactions when her three coop mates were killed by a mink last year. BUT, and this may just be my imaginings because I was pretty heart-broken about the massacre, I think Honey was also sad because she lost the three hens she had grown up with and was suddenly without a "tribe" of her own, even though there were other chickens around.

I think you may be projecting a bit of your own sadness (maybe that is not a chicken emotion -- although I am sure they feel joy) since I know I always feel terrible when something happens to one of my critters. I ALWAYS feel like I should have done a better job of protecting them or anticipating whatever evil befalls them. Take care of her and yourself.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. As others have already said she is scared.