Broody or something else?

[Mother Bwaker]

I've had one single red chicken for a year and she's been a very happy girl. In the mornings she's pretty loud & I go out & open her coop & she free ranges all day. She greets me when she hears my car in the afternoons & during the day she spends time in front of a mirror propped up out in my yard(I guess she thinks she has a friend). She lays 4 -5 times a week. She will do anything for mealworms.
Three days ago, in the late afternoon I got an Americauna and I have her isolated in another coop in my side yard. The day after I got Iris, both were squaking at one another & Caramel (red one) was trying to check out the coop from behind the fence. She couldn't see Iris (black one) but could hear her. Yesterday and today, Caramel seems to be broody, but I don't know what that really looks like. She did get up briefly yesterday & she was sitting on 2 eggs that I took. She's stayed in her nesting box and she's puffed up and spread out widely. She won't even take mealworms when they are offered. I went to pet her & she made this low, ticked off noise and pecked at me. Is this behavior related to bringing in a new chicken? How do I tell if she is sick? Should I take her out of the nesting box to check her out?

 

[chickengirl778]

I think it sounds like she's broody. If you take her out and put her on the ground, will she sink to the ground or stand up and walk away?
If it's the first one she's probably broody.

 

[Mother Bwaker]

I think it sounds like she's broody. If you take her out and put her on the ground, will she sink to the ground or stand up and walk away?
If it's the first one she's probably broody.

Thanks so much for your response chickengirl. Unfortunately, she is not broody. She stood up, but just stood there. Then she made some feeble cackling sound, that is not her & she ran about 5 yards & then just stood there again. I took her to the vet & her fecal & cell samples came back normal. No mites or lice. There is a strong possibility she could have an airborne disease & that is the cause for her change in voice. If no improvement by Monday I will take her in for blood work. She ate a little banana but is not interested in drinking.

 

[Monday's momma]

I still think she might be Broody or maybe just an angry chicken. You said she was happy before you just added another bird to her territory she might be fearful. You say she can't see the other 1 but knows it's there that is very traumatic for animals birds and such. It's like bringing a strange dog in the house when you have another hiding behind the door stress.

 

[Mother Bwaker]

Hhhhmmmm... that's something I hadn't thought about. Well, I'm keeping a close eye on her & hoping she snaps back to her regular happy clucking self. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[aart]

Interesting situation.

Is Iris under 'quarantine' as far as possible from the existing bird?
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Is Caramel confined to her coop/run?
I'm betting Caramel is just confused by the change.

Curious to see what happens here, hope you keep us updated.

 

[Mother Bwaker]

It's a week later & with the help from this site, I think I know what's going on.
Caramel has been my only chicken for almost a year now so when I brought in Iris (within hearing but not visible) they chatted back & forth & then the next day or so Caramel stopped being so noisy in the a.m. & stayed mostly in her nesting area. I kind of panicked since she is my last chicken link to a lost loved one, so I rushed her off to the vet. Nothing revealed & other than being quiet & behavior changes, nothing physically appears wrong. Sent Iris back to her previous owner & then Caramel sped into broodiness. I figured if that's what this is about then I might as well take advantage, so I slipped some eggs under her from a farmer friend & we'll see what happens. Thanks for all your help & I love this site!
I'm not an actual chicken psychologist, I just pretend to be one. ; )