17 week pullet acting funny

[BrahmasMama02]

Hello chicken keepers everywhere!

I have a Sapphire Gem pullet being an odd ball. She’s always been a tad independent, but since free ranging them while I’m home I have noticed that this pullet is Mrs. Independent.

She goes on her own little missions away from the crew. She kind of looks lost.. if that makes sense. Restlessly wanders around kinda squatting. She isn’t acting “sick” but she’s just doing her own thing if that makes sense… The rest of the chickens stick TOGETHER. It’s just her.

Is she like onset of lay? How do y’all’s chickens act before laying their first egg? Thank you.

 

[aart]

Is she like onset of lay?

She might be, her comb and wattles are pretty red.
Free range chickens can be tricky with eggs, likely to lay them somewhere else other than the coop nests.

Might be time for an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Then maybe.....
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[BrahmasMama02]

Thank you for the link! I didn’t know you could do that !!!

 

[BrahmasMama02]

Update: After acting funny all week we went ahead and attatched our nesting boxes (we went with external) and finished that up yesterday. After watching her go in and out of the coop all morning we left for some time on the lake. When we got back there was an egg in one of the nesting boxes! (The nesting boxes don’t have liners in them yet, but yeah We are so excited! And impressed. We didn’t think they’d choose the box on their own, but she did!!!

 

[LaFleche]

Congratulations! First eggs are always so exciting