Scared?

[nickey]

We got 3 rescued chickens recently. 1 rooster and 2 hens. They had previously been abandoned at a park. 5 were rescued from the park and the finder kept a half grown hen and rooster. The first night here the hens slept in the coop and the Roo slept on a perch out in the run. After about a day they kind of seem afraid to venture out into the run very far. I had spotted what I think was a Mississippi Kite flying around - never saw it approach the run. There was also an ant mound (pharoah ants) in the run that has been dealt with now, but they coud have gotten i to it in the first day or two. Thoughts??

 

[Debbie292d]

We got 3 rescued chickens recently. 1 rooster and 2 hens. They had previously been abandoned at a park. 5 were rescued from the park and the finder kept a half grown hen and rooster. The first night here the hens slept in the coop and the Roo slept on a perch out in the run. After about a day they kind of seem afraid to venture out into the run very far. I had spotted what I think was a Mississippi Kite flying around - never saw it approach the run. There was also an ant mound (pharoah ants) in the run that has been dealt with now, but they coud have gotten i to it in the first day or two. Thoughts??

It's hard to know what they've been through since these were abandoned. It can take them weeks just to get used to new surroundings, so it could be that, or it could be they've seen something horrific, such as an animal attack on other siblings. I think I'd give them a couple of weeks and by then they should have mostly adapted. You could try giving them some Hydro Hen for the probiotics and stress relief. There are other products that help too, but it's what I use for any moving around of chicks or chickens.

 

[nickey]

It's hard to know what they've been through since these were abandoned. It can take them weeks just to get used to new surroundings, so it could be that, or it could be they've seen something horrific, such as an animal attack on other siblings. I think I'd give them a couple of weeks and by then they should have mostly adapted. You could try giving them some Hydro Hen for the probiotics and stress relief. There are other products that help too, but it's what I use for any moving around of chicks or chickens.

She knows there were at least 6 chickens the day before she got these ones caught - so something happened to at least 1. They were told a dog plucked the tail feathers out of one of the hens I have now. If it wasn't going to be triple digits here all week, and if they were eating more - I'd be less worried. I got them crumbles to try instead of pellets and a second waterer for electrolytes and probiotics. Sat with them in the run a little earlier today. They ate some scrambled eggs and scratch grains well. Watching them scratch and eat made me less worried -
they are moving around well, don't appear weak etc

 

[nuthatched]

They're just nervous with a new environment, they'll get used to it.

 

[Tonyroo]

Keep a routine with them everyday, chickens are more at peace when things around them are the same all the time.