Chicken sitting a lot in nest box

[Chicken crossing the road]

How's her poop look?
Is she hot...panting, wings held away from body?

When I have a bird that acting 'off'....
I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.[/QUOTE
Poop looks normal, yes it’s been hot and she and others have been panting ( when I notice this I give them cool water) she’s a little more puffed out feather wise.
It’s going to get hotter this week, they do have shade and sun in the run area. Ice water this week!

So how long do you wait when “acting off” before crating? Sounds like right away.

I have a area in the coop for her if needed,that I could use.
I don’t have a crate but could make one out of the old add on run area I made for the chicken tractor, it would just need a bottom added. its 3’x6’x 2’ tall.
She could be near the others and her veiw could be block if that helps.
Here’s a pic of her head hanging out the box.

 

[goldies99]

if she doesnt appear sick...and she keeps sitting in a nest box she is probably broody....
sick chickens dont usually sit in a nest box.....i would try breaking her from being broody...and the reason you dont want her to see the coop, is they just try to get back to the nest box....the trick is to keep her in light....cool her bottom and change her mind about hatching eggs!....once you put her in a broody breaker if she paces and tries to get out, that will prove thats whats going on with her...it will take a few days and soon she will be back to normal with the flock again....the other chicken will visit her and see whats going on with her while she sits in her broody breaker....you dont have to isolate her from the others...just keep her from the nest box!....again good luck!!!

 

[Chicken crossing the road]

Thanks for the input!
Can the cage be a plastic netting sides and bottom
1/2” square ? Its what I have already on the cage I made earlier.
The only place I have handy would be in the coop, she would see the coming and goings of the flock and not really be able to see the nest boxes. She’d be alone as the rest spend most of the day out in the run.
Ok so elevated off floor
No bedding
Can it have a roost in it?
Maybe I should just put ice packs in the nest box

 

[goldies99]

no roost post...you want air to be able to pass underneath her to cool her off....and i really wouldnt put her in the coop....she knows thats where the nest boxes are....i put my cage up on a picnic table and i block the side with paper where she can see the coop!!!...and you want her in the light....light encourages chickens to lay eggs....you want her to get back to laying and not thinking about hatching....it doesnt matter what type of bottom is...as long as it is open and her feet dont fall through....let me know how you make out

 

[Chicken crossing the road]

Ok thanks
She not really in the coop but store room in the same building,but she’d probably still know the boxes are on the other side of the wall.
Plan B, I guess.
So it would be fine if she is left outside for the night then?,
Without the others.

 

[goldies99]

she is ok out there as long as she has shelter and in a secure cage...you dont want a predator to get her.......i put a top on the cage at night in case it rains....she doesnt need the other chickens...she will be fine for a few days

 

[Chicken crossing the road]

I went ahead and built a broody breaker
24’x 19” x20” mesh bottom
I put her in it today late time enough for her to see where she is ( which is in the store room , near the meshed entry door, so a nice breeze.
For tonight anyway. She could see the others roosting which I think gave her comfort. I blocked her veiw of the boxes. But yeah she probably knows where they are generally and will see and hear the movement in and out the run door.
Boy did she make a fuss!! Trying to get out.
The others started in as well until I went back down, then they settled down and came in to roost. Babe as I call her, kept trying to break out until dusk,she’s sleeping now, and I will see how tomorrow goes.

My wife thinks I should move her out to the run in the morning in her new home, leave her for the day then move again back at night. She’d be safe in the run at night too if needed. I might have to see how this goes first.
I could also put her on the deck outside the building and she could see the run / the others but not the boxes or inside the coop, until dusk then move her in for overnight safety.

I figured get her out of the box ( its their favorite one ) and elevated for now then maybe I could think on location more.

I’ll post a pic when i get a chance, sorry for long post

 

[Chicken crossing the road]

she is ok out there as long as she has shelter and in a secure cage...you dont want a predator to get her.......i put a top on the cage at night in case it rains....she doesnt need the other chickens...she will be fine for a few days

Ok thank you!
I don’t have any secure outside arrangements right now.
Be nice if I had something just outside the run that is safe.
We have lots of foxes coyotes etc.

 

[goldies99]

i love reading your story!!!.....this may be hard on you if its your first time breaking a hen....it wont hurt her...and she will settle down....you will see in a couple day she will be fine....it may only take a couple days....you can put her in the run IN the broody cage....you do need to keep her in it till she breaks, or she will go back to the boxes...looking forward to your pics!!!

 

[goldies99]

bringing her inside isnt that big of a deal for the evening...keeping her safe is most important....just keep her in the cage...and then be sure to put her back out in the morning....she would eventually break being in the cage if she is near or in the coop....it just take longer...thats why i like to remove them from the coop if possible...speeds things up and gets her back to the flock!