Broody or stressed out?

[Henrybetta]

I have a hen who unfortunately jumped out of the pen when my dogs were in the yard, and one of them grabbed her. I heard her scream and ran outside and made him let go.

She ran off, but eventually found herself back inside the coop. The problem is that she was raised by a broody and I have literally never been able to catch her. Everytime we go in there to examine someone while they're asleep, she is always awake and runs off. Now she is spending all of her time in the nest boxes and not laying and when we go in there she freaks out and runs away. We have no idea if she's injured or not.

I just went out there to check on my current broody and she saw me and fluffed herself up inside the nest box. Is it possible she went broody after the attack? Or is it most likely that she is injured? Scared? Stressed out? I think she is stressing out the rest of the flock because I am only getting 2 eggs a day from 9 hens that aren't broody. I was getting 8 a day before this all started.

 

[Henrybetta]

Any ideas?

 

[Pork Pie]

Its most likely to be stress. An attack by a predator can unsettle the flock for some time. My flock refused to go to an area of the garden where one was attacked by a hawk for 3 weeks.

CT

 

[Henrybetta]

Thank you and I hope you're right and then maybe she'll leave the nest boxes soon. It is really stressful for everyone involved.

 

[Henrybetta]

Finally caught her tonight, she seems completely fine... It's been 3 weeks and she still screeches everytime we go in the coop, everytime she flies, she still lives in the nest boxes so when we collect eggs she goes completely crazy. We clipped her feathers and placed her on the perch to give her an idea. Please tell me this won't go on forever. Yikes.

 

[Pork Pie]

If she is broody and you have no desire to breed chicks, then I'd suggest breaking her broodiness. Just type "Broody buster" in the search box for links on the topic.

All the best
CT