Any chicken shrinks that can help me understand behavior?

[diamondie]

My beautiful lady got hurt somehow, or is sick, but she has not been able to bear weight on her leg for at least 2 months. However, even with the injury She was active, laying, eating, drinking, perching etc. I introduced a small flock of new chickens, separated by fence a few weeks ago and now she sleeps in egg box, she stayed there for 48hrs no food or drink and we thought she was dying. She sits funny with tail up and puffs up when I open it. I picked her up and put on the ground and 2 eggs were under her (no rooster here), she then proceeded to walk around, eat and drink and make unhappy noise and went back. to eggbox and has been there for 24hrs no food or drink.

 

[Buckingham Palace]

It sounds like she broody. When chickens are broody they eat once aday then go back and sit they will puff up at your and growl. if your not planning to hatch eggs I would break the broodyness.

 

[diamondie]

It sounds like she broody. When chickens are broody they eat once aday then go back and sit they will puff up at your and growl. if your not planning to hatch eggs I would break the broodyness.

Oh, thank you. I have had chickens for 5 years now, I have never experienced that before. Will read up, thank you!

 

[Buckingham Palace]

Oh, thank you. I have had chickens for 5 years now, I have never experienced that before. Will read up, thank you!

It’s a pleasure. You could also wait to see how serious she is about being broody and sneak some eggs under her to adopt. I can also advise you on how to snap her out of it.

 

[diamondie]

It’s a pleasure. You could also wait to see how serious she is about being broody and sneak some eggs under her to adopt. I can also advise you on how to snap her out of it.

I will happily take tips to break the habit. I'm concerned about her not hydrating. We live in FL, so it's hot.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I will happily take tips to break the habit. I'm concerned about her not hydrating. We live in FL, so it's hot.

Most of us break them in dog crates that are raised up on 2x4s inside the coop or run (with food and water, of course). And this would be without the plastic tray that is the floor or any bedding so that their undersides are exposed to air and cooled off. I leave my broodies in this "broody jail" for 24 hours. Then I take them out. If they start acting like a normal chicken, they can stay out. If they go back to being crazy broodies or run back to the nest box, they get put back in broody jail for another 24 hours.

If you don't want to/can't do broody jail, you can also try putting cold water bottles/icepacks under them while they are in the nest box, too. The idea is to get their undersides cold to snap out of it.

 

[Mrs. K]

or slip one or two chicks under her? Nothing is more fun than a broody hen and chicks.