Illinois...

[Faraday40]

Lazy Hen Problem:

I have a chocolate orp that will be 2 years old next month. However she has been becoming progressively lazy over the past 6-8 months. It started with her becoming broody last fall and since then, she is either not roosting, or just sleeps in the nesting area (which is closer to the floor). Since the weather has been nicer I placed their water in the uncovered portion of the run and have noticed that unless its absolutely necessary, she won't even climb up and down the ladder to get to the water.

No signs of sickness
Poop is normal
No weight loss (in fact she is the heaviest orpington I have)
Toe nails are huge indicating lack of scratching activity for an extended period of time.
Tail is up on some days and down on others.
Lays jumbo eggs for couple of weeks in a row and then takes a break for a few weeks.

No signs of arthritis, she doesn't have a limp or any awkward gait. I am thinking she is depressed since I gave away her half brother last year. Do you guys think that's a possibility?

I would let her stay and be a freeloader but she is kind of mean to others. Unless she gets her act together, I will probably have to re-home her at the processing shop. She is free if someone thinks they have the time and energy to fix her issues.

It does happen. Could it be her weight that's making her "lazy"?

Cookie & Darth Layer both went through a depression stage. For Cookie it was when we rehomed all of her chicks at 10 days old. She kept to herself & was always in the dark, gloomy coop - where she used to have her chicks. Then she molted, & then it was winter. Didn't get eggs until late Jan. Of course 2 wks of laying & she went broody again. Since then, I've always made sure to keep 2 chicks until she decides it's time for them to leave.

Darth Layer's depression was more complex. It started with the absence of a roo who went to freezer camp. DL's low in peck order, so perhaps the roo gave her some positive attention. She also stopped laying for months when Cuddles - her other hatch mate- died. Two months after Cuddles died, we gave away "Prince" but held on to Mr Dummy. DL didn't lay from early May until September last year. Then she molted Nov- Jan. Every time there's any kind of change in the flock, she tends to get depressed for 1-3 weeks. The on & off egg behavior is what we see in DL. She's the sweetest hen & you can probably tell by now that she's a pet. She just seems more sensitive than the others. She doesn't get "lazy" like avoiding climbing ladders, but she does hang out by herself & acts less enthusiastic about things she normally enjoys.

By the way, do your orps go broody easily? For us, only Cookie has gone broody. (She makes up for the entire flock & is our go to gal for raising chicks.) Oopsie thought about it for a few weeks. I tried to encourage her, but didn't stick with it.

 

[jnckids]

I have only had one broody so far and its my sizzle. We let her try to hatch 5. We got 3 but only 2 lived. I've been leaving eggs and extra day to hope one of the others go broody but no such luck.

 

[Faraday40]

I have only had one broody so far and its my sizzle. We let her try to hatch 5. We got 3 but only 2 lived. I've been leaving eggs and extra day to hope one of the others go broody but no such luck.

I have one hen that only goes broody in early June. (Others may also go broody then, but that's my one annual chance to get Princess, our top hen, to become a mama.)

To encourage a hen to go broody, I leave about 5-9 marked eggs in a nestbox. Sometimes I have golfballs in there as well to make it look like a lot of eggs. It won't do much for most of my flock because hatching's not a priority for them. However, be careful what you wish for. I've heard that broodiness is contagious to other hens that are prone to go broody.

DD finally got her silkie this year. I'm a little nervous that Cookie & the silkie will constantly be in a broody competition.

 

[rfreedlund]

Sometimes I have golfballs in there as well to make it look like a lot of eggs.

That's the trick I use to make sure a hen is truly broody before I separate her to set. If she'll stay on the golf balls, I know she is serious. I then pull her and her nesting box (milk crate with one side cut out) out to the broody pen at night. If she is still setting after that, I replace the golf balls with fertile eggs the next night. Golf balls work great as a substitute.

 

[Junibutt]

Quote:
It could be her weight but you know my Orps don't weight that much. I haven't weighed her lately but she was about 8.5 lbs last time I checked. My other orps are between 6.5 and 7.5 lbs. P.S. This is my first full year with orps, couple of them played with being broody for few days but did not stick. There is only one which has stuck around (choc cuckoo split to mottled) and is due on Thursday/Friday. I think these Orps and act and play broody too much but are kind of mild/gentle broodies that can be easily convinced to quit. On the other hand, I have a Legbar x Orp hybrid that stayed broody for 4 months without a hatch and she was pretty ferocious during that time.

 

[Faraday40]

Sorry I keep posting the same chick, but this 6.5 wk old blue orp has me baffled.

Sat's pics had me convinced that "Jewel" is a female.
Today's pics have me guessing all over again.



The wattles say male & the comb says female.


Sat, "she" stood rounded like a female, today "he" looks alert like a roo.


I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. I kept Oopsie mainly because she was such a mystery. (She was also very sweet.) It's no wonder her offspring also have some type of mystery. (I just wish it wasn't gender!) I usually can tell by 4 weeks, and sometimes a tricky orp may take up to 6 weeks.


Here are Brick, Godiva, & their brother at 5 weeks.

Here they are at 8.5 wks

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Sorry I keep posting the same chick, but this 6.5 wk old blue orp has me baffled.

Sat's pics had me convinced that "Jewel" is a female.
Today's pics have me guessing all over again.



The wattles say male & the comb says female.


Sat, "she" stood rounded like a female, today "he" looks alert like a roo.


I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. I kept Oopsie mainly because she was such a mystery. (She was also very sweet.) It's no wonder her offspring also have some type of mystery. (I just wish it wasn't gender!) I usually can tell by 4 weeks, and sometimes a tricky orp may take up to 6 weeks.


Here are Brick, Godiva, & their brother at 5 weeks.

Here they are at 8.5 wks

He is handsome!

 

[SmTwnChickens]

I'm from SO. IL. Albion area

 

[Junibutt]

Welcome to the group!

 

[Junibutt]

Quote:
"The plot thickens" Except for the wattles, everything else is screaming pullet. Even being fully feathered this early but the twist here is that she/he is half Oopsie's line and half unsure. If he/she was Brick's he would definitely not have feathers on his shoulders at this age. So this little fellow possibly has both blue and lav genes in him/her now.