New rooster and outcast hen

[JanetRN1]

Question about my girl Cheeks..
She’s about 6 months old and laying. Friday, we got a rooster, who is about 8-10 months old. Because I knew the people he’d been with and how he’d been raised, introducing him to the flock (of 6) went very well!
But last night and tonight I’ve noticed Cheeks is sleeping outside the coop in a barrel. She also seems to be spending more time there during the day, too, when they’re all out in the run.
She does come out by herself and she’s moving and eating and drinking just fine. She just seems to have gotten shy.
Earlier today, she was preening and the rooster went up to her and pecked her. I don’t know if it was a failed mating attempt, or bullying. But given she’s not in the coop with the rest of them again tonight, I’m wondering if it was the latter.
Any thoughts from the more experienced flock keepers? Is this something that will work itself out? And is there anything I can, or should, do to help?

 

[Debbie292d]

Question about my girl Cheeks..
She’s about 6 months old and laying. Friday, we got a rooster, who is about 8-10 months old. Because I knew the people he’d been with and how he’d been raised, introducing him to the flock (of 6) went very well!
But last night and tonight I’ve noticed Cheeks is sleeping outside the coop in a barrel. She also seems to be spending more time there during the day, too, when they’re all out in the run.
She does come out by herself and she’s moving and eating and drinking just fine. She just seems to have gotten shy.
Earlier today, she was preening and the rooster went up to her and pecked her. I don’t know if it was a failed mating attempt, or bullying. But given she’s not in the coop with the rest of them again tonight, I’m wondering if it was the latter.
Any thoughts from the more experienced flock keepers? Is this something that will work itself out? And is there anything I can, or should, do to help?

I'd give it a week or two as I don't think it's too odd.

I've got this happening from time to time. We have many in very large outdoor breeding pens with hutches and I've seen this behavior in the eggs I incubate as well, knowing that a particular hen isn't getting bred.

For instance, Charlotte is 3, and Mocha the roo is 18 months. She was avoiding him too. She'd lay her eggs out in the pen to avoid being in the hutch when he was in there, and vice versa if he was outside. It's been a couple of weeks now, and her eggs are finally coming back fertile.

I set eggs every four days, so I can quickly determine what's going on in what pen and try to observe better, and she's been the problem in one.

He's probably pecking her to inform her of himself. Sort of an informative peck that you're my lady!

 

[JanetRN1]

Thank you!! I want sure if I should intervene somehow. I’ll just give them some time. They seem to be tolerating each other more today. They’ll probably be best friends in the end