# Post traumatic stress?



## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Hi,

I'm a little worried about my welsummer hen,I'm still waiting for my first egg from her, even though I acquired her in September as point of lay.

She was attacked by a stoat in November,it killed quite a few of my chickens but the welsummer survived the attack with a badly mangled neck. I tended to the damage and she's absolutely fine,she eats very well and looks really healthy but she's constantly scared....she's the only hen that doesn't come running to me at every opportunity, if I corner her in the coop to check her over you'd think I was murdering her!

So by my reckoning she's not too far off being 1 year old but there's no sign of a first egg...she doesn't enter nest boxes and with welsummer's laying such noticeably different coloured eggs I know I haven't missed her 1st egg as none of my flock lay dark brown eggs.

So my question is could she be having some kind of post traumatic stress dating back to her having a stoat latched onto her neck?

Many thanks for any help received.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Probubly not. Chickens dont think like humans, if they get traumatized it may last a week or two but not months. With it being spring could she be molting ? Most hens stop laying during molting, and if light is not supplimented during the winter they will stop laying in the winter as well.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I thought it could be the time of the year,I know it's not the moult as she moulted December/January but all my other hens have been laying regularly for a while now,even the Muscovies are dropping eggs all over the place...the pen is quite well protected from the weather as its surrounded by trees in the middle of a 250 acre deer park on a private estate so they pretty much lay all year round...she's a mystery!

Thanks for the input.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Just as a last entry to this thread,I found her dead in the coup this morning,she looked perfectly healthy and in good plumage but dead!..never mind,she was never right after the stoat attacked her,might have been internal damage ?


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

I'm so sorry.=( Poor sweet girl. My banty I took in from my cousin was a lone survivor of 2 attacks from a fox. She was really skittish for my cousin for awhile after that. After about a week here, she was fine.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

It's good that she calmed down when you took her in,maybe she felt safer in different surroundings.

I'd like to replace her with another breed that lays dark brown eggs,I only know of welsummers and Marans...do you know of any other breeds?

Mark.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

markhorsley68 said:


> Just as a last entry to this thread,I found her dead in the coup this morning,she looked perfectly healthy and in good plumage but dead!..never mind,she was never right after the stoat attacked her,might have been internal damage ?


 Thats to bad, but you may be right. She could have had some kind of internal issue. Sorry.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

I'm sorry for your loss. Marans lay the chocolate eggs that I know of. Good luck with the new choice.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I think I'm looking towards Marans,I'm off to a fur and feather sale next week and they're on my wish list.


Thanks for the help.


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

At the "Fur and Feather Sale"....don't buy Ermine.

-ReTIRED-


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I'll bear that in mind!.. I've just got the catalogue thrust and its all poultry so I'll be spending a fortune no doubt!


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