I don't know if my chicken is sick, dying , or broody

ashleyrae211 · May 17, 2012

My favorite chicken "Aster" is a Black Astralorp and for about a month now she has been staying in her nesting box. I NEVER see her out of it. I do work, and it's a drive so I am out of the house about 9 hours, but my boyfriend is home more and not a chicken person doesn't look all the time, but only saw her out a little at the beginning of this "spell" she is having.

She was always a friendly hen, she was the only one that let me pet her. now while she is in the box she puffs all up when i talk and touch her. it's a little scary. I finally got her out and blocked her box...there was no eggs, I thought she was broody, but not one egg. Now she has just moved to another box, and is again not coming out.

Is she sick? how do I tell? Or is this how broody hens are?

Reurra · May 17, 2012

To me she sounds broody...can you get some chicks? One idea is to stuff it under her while she is sleeping in the middle of the night. When she wakes up she will feel like she has done her duty lol

If not, then there are some other remedies here on BYC that are pretty clever.

sourland · May 17, 2012

It really sounds as if she is broody. As you have discovered, they don't even need eggs to remain broody. Lock her in a pen away from the nesting area until her broodiness 'breaks'.