Broody hen acting strange

[Studio2770]

My dark brahma hen just starting acting strange today. She's been broody for the past few weeks. When I took her out of the nesting box today in my futile efforts to break her broodiness. I soon noticed that she wasn't really moving around. She didn't run for treats but looked like she was drinking, not sure on eating. She is pooping.

She still makes her brooding clucks and that little growl. She's just standing around and walks around occasionally; no sitting and breathing heavily or anything like that. She didn't go into the coop for the night by herself. I put her in and she eventually roosted.

Has anyone run into this kind of behavior? I prepared a kennel for her but wasn't sure if it was really necessary. She's in the coop currently.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How long has she been broody? They can get pretty worn down setting, and with warmer temperatures coming there's always the risk of heat stroke.

 

[Studio2770]

How long has she been broody? They can get pretty worn down setting, and with warmer temperatures coming there's always the risk of heat stroke.

I think she's been broody for just under a month. I should have said several weeks instead of a few. She and another hen have been broody before so it's nothing new but I don't recall this behavior occuring. It hasn't gotten hot enough for any of the hens to start panting but the heat is almost here. It's mainly humidity.

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

WELL HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR THE BROODY HEN TO BREAK HER UP
FIX A DOG KENNEL
do not put any bedding in it as that denotes her staying brood and making a nst.
If you have a rabbit hutch with wire flooring that works also.
just put her feed dish and water in the kennel nothing else.
No treats or special any thing.
She will not break up if she is around a chicken house.
Strange surroundings caue her to relieve herself of the comforts of the chicken house and other chickens.
Her noises are to warn other hens not to mess with her nest.
Also I would do this
MAKE HER SOME
WET MASH PROBIOTIC RECIPE
In fact all the hens will appreciate the nice treat.
Glenda Heywood
My favorite additive to treating their body to get well is tHis
WET MASH PROBIOTIC RECIPE
1 cup oF dry mash
1/8 cup of flax seed meal (THE KIND FOR HUMANS)
2 cups of milk any kind
1/4 cup of plain yoguart.
Mix good and if too dry add more milk DO NOT MAKE SLOOPY
ADD 1/4 CUP OF APPLESAUCE ON TOP:
AS THEY WILL EAT IT RIGHT UP,
THEY LEARN TO EAT IT.
THEY MEET YOU AT THE DOOR FOR MORE.
ONLY FEED WHAT TAKES THEM 30 MINUTES TO EAT.
NOW add
you can add for each hen fed:
1 Vit E capsule, cut end of capsule and squeeze the Vit E into the wet mash
1 Vit B Complex crushed in tsp and add some drops of water to it to dissolve pill.
1 Selenium tablet crushed in tbsp. add some drops of water to dissolve it add to the wet mash.
Mix this wet mash good, if dry add more milk. not sloopy but ike cookie dough.
NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT depending on the amount of chicks you are feeding:
do this:
FOR EACH CHICKEN USE 3 TSP PER CHICKEN OF MIXED WET MASH.,
AND ONE VIT E,VIT B COMPLEC, SELENIUM FOR EACH CHICKEN.
Usually I fed it to the whole bunch of chickens.
THE BROODY HEN WILL NEED IT TO GET HER E.COLI STRAIGHTENED OUT
The job of being broody causes the hens nervous system to get E.Coli of the gut.
this wet mash probiotic recipe straightens her out AND MAKES HER HEALTHY AGAIN.
I would feed it twice a week for life .

 

[ChickNanny13]

Yup, that wire dog crate works GREAT! Finally gave up removing from the nest box & when one started feeling light & bony, I had to get serious.

 

[Studio2770]

The thing is that she hasn't went into the nesting box today. She still makes her broody noises though. She simply stands around and moves around some. I think she has lightened a bit which I'll need to make sure she eats enough. I'm not sure if she's working her way out of it and is tired in which she'll return to her normal self or what.

 

[Studio2770]

Today she hasn't changed much. She stands in one spot for several hours. It looks like she drinks but I can't confirm whether she eats. I gave her some olive oil and probiotics to aid any digestive issues. Her poop is runny. I put her in the kennel with food and water (probiotics mixed in water). She can't be egg bound since she has been broody for just under a month. Her tail doesn't seem to droop down. Her beak doesn't give off a bad odor.

 

[Studio2770]

How long has she been broody? They can get pretty worn down setting, and with warmer temperatures coming there's always the risk of heat stroke.

Hey oldhenlikesdogs, do you have an idea of what could be wrong?

 

[Studio2770]

WELL HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR THE BROODY HEN TO BREAK HER UP
FIX A DOG KENNEL
do not put any bedding in it as that denotes her staying brood and making a nst.
If you have a rabbit hutch with wire flooring that works also.
just put her feed dish and water in the kennel nothing else.
No treats or special any thing.
She will not break up if she is around a chicken house.
Strange surroundings caue her to relieve herself of the comforts of the chicken house and other chickens.
Her noises are to warn other hens not to mess with her nest.
Also I would do this
MAKE HER SOME
WET MASH PROBIOTIC RECIPE
In fact all the hens will appreciate the nice treat.
Glenda Heywood
My favorite additive to treating their body to get well is tHis
WET MASH PROBIOTIC RECIPE
1 cup oF dry mash
1/8 cup of flax seed meal (THE KIND FOR HUMANS)
2 cups of milk any kind
1/4 cup of plain yoguart.
Mix good and if too dry add more milk DO NOT MAKE SLOOPY
ADD 1/4 CUP OF APPLESAUCE ON TOP:
AS THEY WILL EAT IT RIGHT UP,
THEY LEARN TO EAT IT.
THEY MEET YOU AT THE DOOR FOR MORE.
ONLY FEED WHAT TAKES THEM 30 MINUTES TO EAT.
NOW add
you can add for each hen fed:
1 Vit E capsule, cut end of capsule and squeeze the Vit E into the wet mash
1 Vit B Complex crushed in tsp and add some drops of water to it to dissolve pill.
1 Selenium tablet crushed in tbsp. add some drops of water to dissolve it add to the wet mash.
Mix this wet mash good, if dry add more milk. not sloopy but ike cookie dough.
NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT depending on the amount of chicks you are feeding:
do this:
FOR EACH CHICKEN USE 3 TSP PER CHICKEN OF MIXED WET MASH.,
AND ONE VIT E,VIT B COMPLEC, SELENIUM FOR EACH CHICKEN.
Usually I fed it to the whole bunch of chickens.
THE BROODY HEN WILL NEED IT TO GET HER E.COLI STRAIGHTENED OUT
The job of being broody causes the hens nervous system to get E.Coli of the gut.
this wet mash probiotic recipe straightens her out AND MAKES HER HEALTHY AGAIN.
I would feed it twice a week for life .

Do you use this for a hen that makes broody noises but mainly stands around and walks around occasionally? Mine doesn't bother with the nesting box.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Do you use this for a hen that makes broody noises but mainly stands around and walks around occasionally? Mine doesn't bother with the nesting box.

I have had walking broodies, some I leave, some I break.

I haven't offered any advice recently became I'm wondering if she's picked something up and isn't doing well. As I don't treat my birds, I usually just wait and see how it goes, and cull if they don't improve after a week or so, so I can offer no advice as far as treatment.

It's possible being broody stressed her immune system enough for her to come down with something. It's also possible it's a coincidence, and there's something internally wrong with her like organ failure, or various diseases all animals can come down with.

You would need to see a vet to get a better diagnosis, but many vets don't see poultry, and many have no idea what they are seeing. Sorry I can't be much help. In my year of chicken keeping very few sick birds have improved long term with or without treatment.