Travel
Moving your hens is very stressful eg to a new home or to an agricultural show. A car is noisy plus there are lots of unusual movements (eg driving along a bumpy road) and this can cause stress to the bird. A well ventilated darkened box is a good idea to make sure that the hen is safe and as relaxed as it can be.
Hot and cold weather
Hot weather is a challenge for hens and they need lots of fresh water to help them cope. Likewise cold winter weather is stressful and will have a greater impact on birds which are least healthy.
Agricultural shows
Every hen owner dreams of winning a prize at the local agricultural show but trimming beaks and toe nails is a stressor for your hen. They don’t like to be caught or washed and then there is the added drama of travelling to the show! Finally, the agricultural show is full of other strange noisy hens which can be an extra difficulty for a sensitive hen.
Setting into a new house
When you move your hen to its new home, give them time to settle in and be aware that there may be stress caused by adding new hens to a pen with other resident hens. Try to use a separate pen for the new hens and it will take time to establish a new pecking order once the old and new hens are mixed.
Fox attacks
Fox attacks can cause serious damage to a flock of hens. Some hens may be physically injured but all of the hens will take weeks to recover from the shock. They may be too scared to leave the house and there may be a reduction in egg production. Some hens even die from the mental trauma caused by Mr Fox.
Red mites
Red mites attack hens in the evening and suck the blood to such an extent that the birds become seriously ill and may even die. Care and management to keep red mite under control plays a vital part in keeping stress under control. Natural Animal Health’s Imumite product is very effective in dealing with red mite challenges.
Breeding
Breeding season is another very stressful time, especially with hens reaching their first season of maturity. Producing the first egg can be the cause of hormonal changes, and this can be a huge strain on the hens until their bodies adapt to the egg cycle. Stress in egg laying can show on the eggshell itself – there may ridges or the eggs may be oversized as well as soft shelled. Mating is an obvious cause of stress due to the vigour and actions of the event.

There are many ways to alleviate stress in your hens including Natural Animal Health’s Imustress product which is a natural way to support hens before and after a stressful event.