Broody? Sick? I'm BRAND NEW to chickens - help!

Hi - I rescued a hen-pecked Frizzle about 2 months ago from a neighbor. She is my only adult hen and I just recently introduced 3 pullets to her coop. Until the last week she was active, friendly and laid me an egg every day! Within the last 5 or so days she just stays in her nesting area. When I try to pet her (or get near her) she "growls" at me. She DOES get up and eat, but only for a few minutes, then right back to her spot! I'm worried!! BTW her poop is still big and stinky (not runny or bloody)

Only way to cure those symptoms is to shove some fertile eggs under her butt and wait 21 days.

Yay! I'm very attached to her - I'd hate for her to be sick

I agree she's broody. Either a blessing or bane depending if you want more chicks or eggs. If you want to break her of it put her in a cage out in run if possible one with wire bottom and on blocks so air gets under her. I'v use both wire and pet carrier. Keep food and water with her but no bedding. She'll break in day or two but leave in another just to ensure it sticks she's off brooding wen let out.

haha! agrees...blessing or bane!

You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop and I would feed her some crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
Water nipple bottle added after pic was taken.