Hen in distress, not laying, constant clucking

[jackandamyprice]

I have a hen that is a little over a year old, top of the pecking order. Usually she is very friendly and lets people pick her up with no problem. However, for the past few days she has been constantly clucking, acting very agitated and is pecking at her feathers below her vent. She hasn't layed in 2 days and puffs her feathers up and tends to spend a lot of the day in the bushes and doesn't come when I call (very unlike her). please see video below.

She's eating and drinking normally and walks/run just fine. I looked up Eggbound and don't think that's what's going on (her abdomen doesn't feel hard and she still has an appetite). I gave her a warm bath anyway which she didn't like one bit.

Any ideas what is going on? She's never acted like this before and I don't think she's broody.
Thanks for any insight.

 

[Harmonyfarms]

It looks to me like your hen might be going broody. I have had hens that go into hyper mode right before they decide to plant on a nest. If your barred rock has had a favorite nest, maybe you could plant some fresh eggs from other hens in the nest and place her on it. She might just settle in and decide to hatch them. Best wishes!

 

[jackandamyprice]

Thanks for your reply. We don't have a rooster so we just collect the eggs. Also, is there a reason she wouldn't be laying? Is that normal for a broody hen?

 

[Harmonyfarms]

Hi Again, it has been my experience that hens may go broody with or without a rooster present. Also, broody hens do not lay, because they are preparing for sitting for the three week hatch period. I hope this info is helpful.

 

[larachix]

...

I have a hen that is a little over a year old, top of the pecking order. Usually she is very friendly and lets people pick her up with no problem. However, for the past few days she has been constantly clucking, acting very agitated..."

Hello! I would say absolutely Broody. We went through this with our Cochin, we even took her to the vet thinking she had a stuck egg, but once I continued reading everything I could find online, broody for sure. We don't have a rooster so we didn't let her sit the first time and it was tough to get her off the nest every day, it took a couple of weeks for her to come out of it. She did it again last month so we decided to get donor eggs from the neighbors with roosters and she sat on them the full 3 weeks and is now being a great mommy. It's quite a process, she was so determined to sit we had had to physically take her off the nest twice a day so she would eat drink and poop. They are really grumpy and loud and protective in this process, so be prepared! So rewarding though!