Are we broody? Sick? Egg-bound? UPDATE!

[kidsmaw]

I just got MY FIRST CHICKEN hatched, raised, and she laid her first egg, now this...

My 6 1/2 month old Silkie, Lucky Duck, laid her first (and last) egg for me a week ago today. Yesterday she started acting very out of the normal (more about this in a moment). So my first thought is that she's broody, but I would covet a second, third, and fourth opinion, you know-- to make sure I am not missing a sickness/illness. I would be devastated if something happened to this little lady.

I came home from work yesterday and she was just kinda standing in one spot, almost in a trance. I said to my daughter, "Gee she's acting funny" and my daughter said, "Yes, she's been like that all day." Well, I kept a very close eye on her for the rest of the evening and this morning. She is all fluffed up, and just sits or stands in one spot and doesn't really move much, also, I swear she's giving me the stink-eye. She even pecked at me a few times when picking her up, which she NEVER does. I can get her to "snap" out of her trance for a few moments at a time (by blowing on her, saying her name LOUDLY, etc.) and she'll act normal for just a few moments (unfluff, start scratching around, etc.) and then she's back to playing statue-maker in the next instant.

Her crop was empty this morning, I checked. The only other things I haven't checked (which I will do today when I get home from work) are to see if she's possibly egg-bound (after laying only once?) and also set her in her nesting box to see if she'd like to claim a golf ball (I took her first/last egg from the nest box the day she laid it and the 4 month old Roo left a week ago when he started crowing).

So, what do you think? Are we broody? Sick? Egg-bound?

 

[slickchik]

Does she growl or make funny noises when you pick her up to move her? Are her wings hanging down? Does she cluck in a funny fashion? Does she insist on going back to the same spot to sit if you move her away from it? If so, I'd say broody.

 

[kidsmaw]

No strange noises.
Her feathers are kinda droopy/flat (especially her top knot) and dull looking.
She doesn't insist on the same spot.
If I pick her up and move her she'll pretty much stay where I relocate her.

She hasn't spent much time in her nesting box. In fact I have only seen her in it once or twice prior to laying her egg (she did lay the egg in the nesting box).

 

[slickchik]

Not broody in my opinion...

Sounds sick.

I have one particular hen that tends to lay very soft-shelled eggs and has a very difficult time laying them. When she is like that, she stays in one spot away from every other chicken and closes her eyes and looks like she doesn't feel well. I give some additional calcium in her feed and the next day she seems fine.

I don't know what to tell you about your girl... Hope you find out. But it does sound like she feeling poorly.

 

[kidsmaw]

I just ran home to check on her and she was just standing in one spot. But when a very chilly wind blew on her she perked right up and ran to a warmer spot then fluffed up and hunkered down again.

If she is sick, it set on VERY QUICKLY (overnight). And the other two younger pullets are acting perfectly normal. They have all been kept under the same conditions, (feed, etc.).

I am wavering on this. What else can I do to test if she's broody as opposed to ill, if anything?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I would say definitely sick. When they are broody, they don't "stand" in one spot...they lay down like they are laying on eggs. What color is her comb? How are her droppings? If she were mine I would bring her in the house, try giving her some treats like yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, boiled eggs, etc, and see if she will eat this. The fluffed up feathers also indicates not feeling well.

Keep us posted.

 

[kidsmaw]

Ok. I'll set her up inside and try the treats and keep you posted and then we'll figure out where to go from there?

 

[reesepoultry]

Anytime I have ever had a silkie act like this they have died on me. I have tried treating them before but it never works. I hope this isn't your case.
I have not yet figured out what it is or why they get sick but it usually happens about once in 3 hatches. They will be fine one day and the next very sickly and not move or eat and drink. It's like they starve themselves to death.
Good Luck with your baby.

 

[kidsmaw]

Could it also be that she's figuring out how to lay egg #2? It's been one week since egg #1.

 

[reesepoultry]

Quote:
I doubt it. She sounds sick.