Anyone else seen this behavior? Hen laying down to eat.

[mom2jedi]

Ok, I have a two year old Black Australorp that decided to go broody about 3 months ago. Got her a light brahma and EE chick to raise (lost the EE to severe crossbeak at about a 6 wks old). Ever since then, the brahma is now huge and fluffy and no longer with "mama", I've noticed her laying down a lot. She still runs around and scratches the dirt for bugs and such but a lot of the time she's laying down when she eats, in the coop or run. It's the strangest thing. I've checked her over numerous times and have found nothing out of the ordinary. I don't know if she's laying eggs since half my flock has shut down due to winter. Her comb and wattles are more pink than red but again, could be from winter. The rest of my flock is fine and most have finished molting and now look lovely again. Any ideas as to why she's doing this? It's just so odd.

 

[teach1rusl]

Hopefully she's just lazy...lol. I have a lazy dog that will do that. I did have a sal. fav. that would do that, but she was sick (internal laying), and her behavior (besides the laying down a lot, even eating from that position) was that of an obviously unwell chicken. As long as your girl appears active and healthy otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[BamaSilkies]

Sounds like she is stuck in mama mode. That what they do for the chicks. I had a hen that lost a chick. I couldnt find the chick it had gotten out and got behind some of the equipment got chilled and died. After I found it I showed it to her and like she understood she got up and stopped the broodiness. If she didnt wean the chick herself and you just took it away then she just stuck she will come out of it.