Broody or sick??

[OkieBYCNewbies]

We have 3 hens. Our RIR is behaving normally, but our two Buff Orpingtons are acting weird. One had been laying in the same spot in the nesting box for almost 2 days. She did not seem to leave that spot. The other one seemed to be "protecting" or "guarding" the one in the nest box. Then suddenly last night they were up, eating, drinking, and moving around in the coop and run. But today the two Orpingtons seem to have traded places?! The protector is now sitting and the sitter is not protecting. What the heck? Is this a sign they are sick, or broody, or what else could it be? They don't seem sick or sound sick. Any help is appreciated!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Do they make a growling noise when approached on the nest? Do they cluck cluck when walking around puffing up their feathers? I have had hens sit together on eggs, but never taking turns.

 

[OkieBYCNewbies]

Yes, they make a growling type noise when we approach and their feathers get really puffy. She looks huge! What does that mean? (Sorry still new at this.)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those are signs of a broody chicken. If you aren't planning on hatching anything with them it's best to break them by relocating them elsewhere, or putting them in a wire bottom crate so they can't sit and heat up. Most will break after 3 days. Provide feed and water.

 

[robbo123]

Hi there, I have sort of the same issue with my hen, but not sure if she is depressed, she's a white perking bantam, very friendly quite girl with her mate another girl, but she was taken by the fox, now it's just her,she sits all day the coop in the same stop, comes out for half hour makes loads of noise no stop, then goes back in again, when you put your hand in she does male a squawking noise and buts her bum feathers up, but she's stopped laying and not sitting on anything, is this normal or depressed

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hi there, I have sort of the same issue with my hen, but not sure if she is depressed, she's a white perking bantam, very friendly quite girl with her mate another girl, but she was taken by the fox, now it's just her,she sits all day the coop in the same stop, comes out for half hour makes loads of noise no stop, then goes back in again, when you put your hand in she does male a squawking noise and buts her bum feathers up, but she's stopped laying and not sitting on anything, is this normal or depressed

She's broody, they stop laying then the set, if you remove all eggs they sit on nothing.

 

[Fluffychickens6]

Hii I'm very worried about my RIR, I only have two chickens a RIR and buff Orpington. My buff Orpington has been broody before, and she would hiss/puff up but I'd shoo her out of the coop everyday and she'd go down to eat+drink then go back and I keep repeating be that cycle and for about a week or two or more she stops and is perfectly normal. Now my RIR is acting really, really strange. I noticed she was a bit slow and not acting as her perky self and it seems her comb has dropped a bit and isn't as bright red. She's started staying in her nesting box all day, but comes down once to drink/eat some days I have to push her out to eat/drink. She doesn't hiss or puff up like my buff Orpington does she just slowly gets up and comes out. Yesterday idk what happened I went back into my house and I hear a loud like crow and shreak so I went out to see what happened and I see her laying down with one of her wings and leg stretched out with her head down and she wasn't moving so I tapped her lightly and thank his she got up I thought I lost her and she drank some water. But my dad said when he went to open up the coop this morning she wasn't in the coop??? she was just outside which is weird because I clearly remember closing the coop. So today I went to check on her and she was in the nesting box so I tapped her lightly, again no hissing or puffy feathers and she gets up rlly rlly slowly and hesistates to leave, I tap her again and she starts walking towards the little ramp/run thingy and I tap her lightly again and a few seconds later she starts to crow and like shreaks like a quiet scream and she lays down spreading one of her wings and leg again, and has her head down, but she moves and adjusts the way she's laying. I didn't tap her again because I was afraid so I just moved some water up to the nesting box. Idk what's wrong with her I'm very worried, there were eggs today but idk who's it was. My RIR normally lays at least 5 times a week, now it's barely any. Please help!! Is she sick or just broody?? if she is sick, how can I help her? or if she's broody, how do I stop her? I have pictures if that helps.