ADVICE on my bantam

[Graciepowell_09]

Hi , hope everyone is well. I’m am desperately looking for some advice on my pekin bantam Sandy. She is a year old at end of may and has started laying the last few weeks . Over the past few days she has spent more time in the nesting box around time of laying and would puff up and squawk if anyone entered the coop. Yesterday as today she hasn’t come off the nest apart from when I brought her out for some food and a drink which she didn’t want . I thought she was going broody but she just seems to much unlike herself compared to the other broody hens I’ve experienced . She is also falling asleep a lot on the nest , she won’t eat very much and only will have some if I put it right to her beak bless her . She just seems to lethargic I can’t feel any stick eggs and she did a poop which was perfect shape so don’t think she is egg bound . I am just so worried as she seems to tired and exhausted other than that she is in perfect condition . I have an appointment booked for the morning at the vets but I’m so worried about her overnight . Does anyone have any advice on what I can do that might make her feel better or know what could be wrong with her ? Thank you so much

I’ll attach some photos of her that I have just taken xx

 

[GoosesGeeses]

She looks broody to me, i have a lot of hens that go broody every year, and they are all different. Some with attack anything within 3 feet of the nest, others will let you pet them. They all have different personalities. It is normal for broodies to not eat as much, they eat 80% less feed while brooding. Is she sitting on eggs?

 

[Graciepowell_09]

She looks broody to me, i have a lot of hens that go broody every year, and they are all different. Some with attack anything within 3 feet of the nest, others will let you pet them. They all have different personalities. It is normal for broodies to not eat as much, they eat 80% less feed while brooding. Is she sitting on eggs?

Thank you so much for replying, she was sitting on 3 this morning from yesterday and I’m pretty sure she laid one today. Do you think I should keep the appointment tomorrow? I love her so much but if she’s just broody I don’t want pay a few hundred pounds to be told that . I check again /put them in the coop 6:30pm and 8pm and let them out at 6:45am so maybe see how she is in the morning x

 

[GoosesGeeses]

Keeping the appointment is up to you, but i personally wouldn't, if she really is broody.

You said she is sitting on three eggs, or 4, then she is probably brooding, they lay more eggs the first few days. Mark them with a sharpie so she doesn't sit on too many of different age.

If she is breathing normal, eating and drinking at least once a day, and her droppings look normal, she is probably Ok and she is just brooding

 

[Graciepowell_09]

Keeping the appointment is up to you, but i personally wouldn't, if she really is broody.

You said she is sitting on three eggs, or 4, then she is probably brooding, they lay more eggs the first few days. Mark them with a sharpie so she doesn't sit on too many of different age.

If she is breathing normal, eating and drinking at least once a day, and her droppings look normal, she is probably Ok and she is just brooding

Okay ! Thank you so much for your advice she seems brighter in herself and each time I’ve checked her she hasn’t been falling asleep. Maybe because she is still young and it’s her first time laying she’s a bit confused and tired . Thank you

 

[FrostRanger]

Do you have a rooster? If not and you want her to hatch I'd get some hatching eggs. If you don't want chicks you can put her in broody jail (bare bottomed dog crate with just food, water and a perch)

 

[a320727]

My same chicken will sit for 3 weeks on the eggs. She's brooding.

 

[Graciepowell_09]

Do you have a rooster? If not and you want her to hatch I'd get some hatching eggs. If you don't want chicks you can put her in broody jail (bare bottomed dog crate with just food, water and a perch)

I don’t have a cockerel but have tried hatching eggs last year which came by post however none hatched which is when I got some day old chicks for one of my other bantams and Sandy was one of the chicks and she raised them . I could possibly ask someone I know who has a cockerel bantam who may have some eggs which I could collect . Thank you! She seems brighter tonight