[Newbiechicken keeper]

I have had my girls for 5 weeks now,  they have settled in really well and at present I am getting two eggs a day from 4 chickens.  My concern is that my 1 columbine does not seem to be part of the flock,  she keeps herself to herself and is always last out of the coop.  I have maintained a painstakingly long vigil on them and have come to the conclusion that she is eating and drinking wioth no problems,  she looks well in herself,  her eyes are bright and her floppy bit on her head is red.  She is alot leaner than the other girls, which also concerns me but maybe this is due to ther breed.... any fellow columbine keepers have any advice?

[kegs]

I'm a newbie too and only have hybrids but a helpful piece of advice Joyfull gave me was to put out more feeders and drinkers round the garden.   Could it be that the Columbine you are worried about is bottom of the pecking order?  I have one girl who prefers to be away from the other three because she knows they will moan at her if she gets in their way.  Once I increased the feeders my chicken started eating a lot more and seemed a lot happier.
Good luck.

[joyfull]

if she is eating and drinking and not being bullied (except for the odd peck) then I shouldn't worry too much. Some chickens are quite happy being on the outside - my welsummer was 

[AL Hathaway]

hello

i have had my columbine for 8 months and she was slow to start shy and kept herself to herself untill she started laying now she is just one of the gang and very happy and lays everyday but one.here is a photo around 17 weeks of her

[Raven81]

Mine are all warrens but one of them isn't part of the flock - she's eating and drinking but will not eat with the others, or play with them, is always last out of the coop, but surprisingly she's the only one laying!! 

[Newbiechicken keeper]

Thanks for all your replies,  I think i will get another feeder just incase shes not getting enough food although this does not appear to be the case.  Hopefully she will make friends with the rest of the girls soon 

[BuntyB]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, but have been keeping chickens for about 9 months now.
I've been searching for somebody else who has trouble with their Columbines!
I have 4 chickens, one is a Columbine... she has always been my special needs chicken...took ages to lay (forgave her as they were blue) pecks at the artificial grass... (maybe it's her shyness and she wants to look busy!) She has been a bit anaemic, house did have red mite... have moved birds whilst i deal with that...all now wormed and louse powdered. but she hasn't layed for a couple of months now... eyes bright enough... feathers look good, she eats and drinks. What is going on with her??? any ideas??

[marybjerregaard]

Hi

I've had a Columbine for the last year or so and she has been our 'special needs' hen as well! For the first 5 months she didn't lay like the others, spent the whole day staring at the bushes and darting madly back and forth the garden. Then one day she started laying (lovely blue eggs) but after 2 weeks she thought she was mum and got broody. Took a month to snap her out. She then laid again for a week and got motherly for the second time. We snapped her out after two weeks ...... for her to just get broody again! (third time in 4 months). I'm certain they are a little feeble minded (what with all the twig throwing) but she's my favourite hen and I wouldn't trade her for any others.

So .... you're not alone. :-)