Being broody? or is she sick?

[Slim Chickens]

I have a flock of 10 and one is acting strange. She is an EE who has sat in the nesting box for 2 days. Don't even think she has gotten off to eat or drink. She's doing everything in there....everything. So, being that it was super foul, I took her out and put her in the run, gave her some food and water. She did eat and drink, but wanted back in the coop. I cleaned out the nest and took out the eggs that she was sitting on. When she came back in, it's like she was looking for the eggs, even coming out on the outside nest door where I had the eggs sitting.

Is she just being broody, even though I don't have a rooster in the flock? Or could she be sick? Everytime I tried to take her out to clean the nest, she would poop. Just wanna make sure she's OK.

 

[QualityPolish]

I would say broody. Although very weird that she would umm... take a dump. Our girls never do that they always leave about once a day to get up and walk around to go. Hens will become broody even if you don't have a roo

so it's normal but as for the, going in the boxes it sounds a little strange but nothing I would worry about really. Just keep a good watch on her, clean out her nest and if it makes you feel better since the eggs obviously are not fertile pick her up and take her outside to eat and walk around. I'm pretty positive she's not sick, especially if there are eggs under her

 

[elmo]

Do you mean she's pooping in the nestbox? That is strange. Broodies don't typically do that, for obvious reasons.

What do the droppings look like? Is she molting too?

 

[tinychicky]

all my first time broodies do

if you hold another chicken near her while she's on the nest does she 'growl' or peck? if she does that and/or looks generally healthy, i think she's probably broody.

 

[Slim Chickens]

Well, let me clarify, the eggs she was sitting on, only one was hers. There were about 6 others in with hers. She's laying about one egg ever 4 or 5 days. I've put a light in the coop and have it heated.

And yeah, watery poo in the nest box. Did it three times when I tried to get her out; I'd touch her, she'd poo. Nothing "appears" to be out of the ordinary. But idk....

 

[tinychicky]

broodies will sit on any egg, there's or otherwise. they can't tell the difference. it might help to post a picture of her if you can