Broody Hen, I think?

[Lisa-Lu]

Yes, we had to do that to stabilize it. hanging it with chain or anything would have caused it to swing or tilt when she moved around and I dont want to cause her anymore trauma. So I'll just keep with the plan. I do think letting her out to free range for a bit every day is helping some.

 

[aart]

Yes, we had to do that to stabilize it. hanging it with chain or anything would have caused it to swing or tilt when she moved around and I dont want to cause her anymore trauma. So I'll just keep with the plan. I do think letting her out to free range for a bit every day is helping some.

I use 4x4's under each end, but yes for sure it should be stable.
That crate looks like it may be unwieldy to move, even if it wasn't raining outside
Yes, letting them out helps a great deal, IMO, but can be a pain if you don't have time to monitor.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I took pics of the set up this morning. The milk crates are on the corners to keep the crate from tilting when she moves around.
View attachment 2024558

That should work.

 

[Lisa-Lu]

I just had a thought this morning, could she be egg bound instead of just being broody? What signs or symptoms would there be? The couple times she has beat me to the nesting box in the evenings she immediately starts with her egg song and throwing wood chips on her back. I just don’t want to miss something else that may be the issue with her. She will free range and cluck around for 5-10 minutes in the evenings but then makes her b-line to her favorite nesting box. So back to the cage she goes.

 

[aart]

I just had a thought this morning, could she be egg bound instead of just being broody? What signs or symptoms would there be? The couple times she has beat me to the nesting box in the evenings she immediately starts with her egg song and throwing wood chips on her back. I just don’t want to miss something else that may be the issue with her. She will free range and cluck around for 5-10 minutes in the evenings but then makes her b-line to her favorite nesting box. So back to the cage she goes.

Have you felt her abdomen for and swelling?
Is she eating/drinking/pooping?
If she was egg bound she'd likely be acting very sick.
Is she broody clucking like this:

 

[Lisa-Lu]

Yes she sounds exactly like that and she runs out to free range when I let her out and she acts ravenous even though she has food in her crate and is eating fairly well in it. I felt around her belly and underside yesterday and didn't feel anything and she doesn't seem to be in any pain whatsoever. Just grouchy as all get out!

 

[aart]

Yes she sounds exactly like that and she runs out to free range when I let her out and she acts ravenous even though she has food in her crate and is eating fairly well in it. I felt around her belly and underside yesterday and didn't feel anything and she doesn't seem to be in any pain whatsoever. Just grouchy as all get out!

Yeah, they act a bit frantic when released from breaker, sometimes even a setting hen will act like that during their daily constitutional.

The couple times she has beat me to the nesting box in the evenings she immediately starts with her egg song and throwing wood chips on her back.

Odd that she'd be doing the 'egg song'..might be more of an alarm call because she's upset.
I dunno<shrugs> it can be frustrating breaking stubborn broody....hang in there.

 

[Lisa-Lu]

Yes I shouldn't have said egg song, its more like a frustrated screech, especially when she sees me coming to get her out. I will record her today.

 

[aart]

Yes I shouldn't have said egg song, its more like a frustrated screech, especially when she sees me coming to get her out. I will record her today.

Oh, yeah, the screeching......like at the end of this vid:

 

[Lisa-Lu]

Yes, except she is more like this