Pullet wondering off alone..

[chickenbritt5908]

My favorite pullet, Henrietta - a RIR X Blue Australorp, has started wandering off away from the flock. She’s 8 months old and totally independent from the rest. She always comes to roost and she doesn’t leave our property, but it makes me nervous because she’s making herself too vulnerable out away from everyone else and the rooster. Thoughts?

 

[Mimi13]

Could she possibly be going off to lay her eggs? If so, she will soon disappear to set, hopefully to reappear with chicks. But not if there are predators.

I think I would be tempted to cage her, like you would breaking a broody, in hopes of redirecting her line of thought. If that doesn’t work, she may just be a roamer, which will make her a short timer. Good luck in breaking her of her wandering.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes, she could have created a nest elsewhere. It may take a few days but I would follow her especially in the mornings and watch which bush she crawls under. I've had birds do that and even go under a wood pile and another that would jump up into a cement mixer to lay.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

double post.

 

[SueT]

Is she lowest in the pecking order? I have had low ranking individuals behave as you describe, because they aren't allowed to join in flock activities. And these outcasts also are more likely to hide nests.

 

[Pigpye]

If you dont have a secure run id vote securing a run for her to keep her in with flock especially during winter months my chickens free range in summer and I do also have the lone wanderers and really there is no safe way to keep her staying with the flock unless in a secure area

 

[Pigpye]

Ive had several wanderers come home to roost night after night then spontaneously never seen again I dont know that its necessarily a they arent allowed to be in the flock more so then they are just curious independent birds

 

[chickenbritt5908]

Is she lowest in the pecking order? I have had low ranking individuals behave as you describe, because they aren't allowed to join in flock activities. And these outcasts also are more likely to hide nests.

She is not the lowest. I have a few younger birds that are. ‍ But ive gotten a lot of good advice so I’ll have to try some of it out.

 

[chickenbritt5908]

If you dont have a secure run id vote securing a run for her to keep her in with flock especially during winter months my chickens free range in summer and I do also have the lone wanderers and really there is no safe way to keep her staying with the flock unless in a secure area

We do have a run, when we aren’t home they stay in the run but on weekends and evenings when we are home they free range.

 

[Pigpye]

We do have a run, when we aren’t home they stay in the run but on weekends and evenings when we are home they free range.

I would keep the wanderer in the run when the others free range instead of letting her free range to keep her home