Bored Hen? Or crazy lady

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mariamasher

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Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« on: March 11, 2009, 20:10 »
Would be grateful for advice - am I a bad mother?

We have had our two hens for two weeks, a black star and a goldine. They were kept in their run for the first week and I now have them free range in the garden for 2 hours when I get home at night and also all weekend where possible.

The black star has started to pace furiously up and down the run as soon as they come out of the eglu and this goes on for some time, and possibly often during the day. She looks like a possessed crazy woman, and to see her do this is breaking my heart.

I put treats in the run every morning and there are perches, pecker blocks etc in there, so I don't think it has anything to do with boredom, I think she just wants to be out in the garden.

What should be my next move? Should I carry on with my routine in the hope that she settles, or should I try and re-home her with someone who freeranges? The goldine seems fine but this evening I noticed that she has started to adopt the same behaviour.

Please help, I'm very saddened by this behaviour.  :(

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cathangirl

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2009, 20:18 »
What size is their run?  Are you able to make it bigger, but still keep it secure for when they are unattended?
Some of mine do it too and we have three enormous extensions!
cathangirl

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Foxy

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2009, 20:21 »
It happens when birds get used to being outside, they will pace frantically to get out! Hybrids are good foragers too, so much prefer to be rooting around the garden.

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smiler43

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2009, 20:56 »
Mine do it when I come home from work, soon as they see you come home they start.  If I go out and don't let them out straight away they start getting noisy til I let them out. 

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too many girls

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2009, 21:54 »
i fell out with my one and only friend over something like this, i worked with Anita for a fair few years, we were good friends, 6 months after i got my barn girls she decided she would like some hens too ( i would like to add i encouraged her, her hubby converted the kid's unused wendy house and made a small run, i thought she might re-home some ex batts) when she came for a coffee one day her kid's were nowhere to be seen, when i went out they had cardboard boxes and were choosing hen's to take home,  THEY WERE CHOOSING MY HENS,  so i said "what are you doing" Anita said " we are picking some hens" i said "well, you can't take any of mine, they are our pets" Anita's answer to this was "well, you admitted you no longer know who's who, and you have so many..................   Well,  that's not the point, they're mine.......they free range the whole farm...........i won't change that,  Anita never got her hens, she lives on a housing estate, the housing estate states no livestock.................. end of friendship.

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andreadon

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2009, 22:15 »
that is so rude!
why on earth would anyone do that?
 >:(

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too many girls

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2009, 00:03 »
Anita thought because i had so many hens i wouldn't miss a few, but they have already had a hard life, they love it here, i couldn't make her understand they would be unhappy in a run, they have had 40 acres to roam in since last May, they're used to freedom now, really couldn't contemplate putting them in a run.

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woodburner

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2009, 01:42 »
What a cheek!
I demand the right to buy seed of varieties that are not "distinct, uniform and stable".

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shiatsusu

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2009, 11:14 »
That's bizarre behaviour TMG- is she a sandwich short of a picnic?
Re pacing- ours do it too- I'm afraid I ignore it, knowing they have plenty of space and entertainment in the run and get out most days to forage happily in the garden.

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Jane-M

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Re: Bored Hen? Or crazy lady
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2009, 12:45 »
Dear TMG - I know you think I am hard hearted about my hens (and I am compared to lovely soft hearted you!) but honestly that "friend" is awful. Your lovely hens how dare she. Good riddance, and also what a way to bring children up in regard to animals  :mad:

Re pacing - mine have a perfectly respectable 64 sq yards between the 10 of them and as soon as they see me they patrol the perimeter like convicts. I feel about an inch high.
3 o'clock is both too early and too late to start anything - Sartre said so.



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