Broody?

[Ecarroll]

I’ve had a hen sitting in the nest box the past two nights, not sure if she was there during the day yesterday, I forgot to check on her. Acting pretty broody, on 4 eggs, making “dinosaur noises”. She has done this a couple times in the past years, acting broody for a couple hours, then quitting. Last night I took the eggs from her, and gave her some rubber fake ones, she didn’t pull them under like a normal broody, started too then just looked at them, I think she knew they were fake.
This morning, I went to check on her, still in the box, but when the others hopped down from the roost and came out, she did too. She was acting weird, stayed on the front step, tail down. She let me pick her up easily (not normal), and when I dropped her down, she fell with her wing out.

After a minute she stood back up, then went back in the coop, ate some food. She looked a little more normal, tail up again, seemed a little wobbly. When I left the house I saw her sitting in the step again.
Now I’m wondering if she ever really was broody, or just slept in the nest box bc she couldn’t get to the roost.
Any help or ideas would be appreciated!

 

[Ecarroll]

Also wanted to add that she is two years old, and I checked her vent, didn’t seem egg bound. Also I got new chicks recently, one was lethargic and died (shipped in mail), but I always washed hands between the groups, and not interaction or contamination.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? I see you answered that in your second post. Does she lay eggs? Sick birds do sometimes take to nest boxes for protection from others. She could be injured, suffering from a reproductive disorder, or something else. Using a wing to balance could be something like Mareks. Does she have any missing feathers on her chest and belly as mist broodies do? I would take her aside a couple of times a day and feed her some moistened feed, cooked egg, bits of tuna. Vitamins might be helpful. Observe her behavior with others.

 

[Ecarroll]

How old is she? I see you answered that in your second post. Does she lay eggs? Sick birds do sometimes take to nest boxes for protection from others. She could be injured, suffering from a reproductive disorder, or something else. Using a wing to balance could be something like Mareks. Does she have any missing feathers on her chest and belly as mist broodies do? I would take her aside a couple of times a day and feed her some moistened feed, cooked egg, bits of tuna. Vitamins might be helpful. Observe her behavior with others.

She is eating normal, I’m not sure if she is laying, and I haven’t seen her drink, but I haven’t been monitoring her so she easily could be. She has been laying, at Lear every once and awhile. No missing feathers on chest. I’ll update tonight when I get home.
Should I offer electrolyte water (save a chick)?
Should I separate her from the flock?

 

[Ecarroll]

I’m not home yet but my sister said she doesn’t seem too bad, is not in the nesting box, but is sitting down a lot. Here’s some photos she sent

 

[Ecarroll]

Update:
She is acting pretty normal, eating normal, pooping normal. Walking slightly slower than normal, but otherwise seems fine. I let them out to range and she is gobbling down grass with the rest. Was sitting down when I got back, but got up right away.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Check her crop tonight when she goes to roost and compare it to some other hens. Does it feel the same or different. Doughy, gritty, hard, anything different? Then check her again in the morning before she has a chance to eat or drink anything. If necessary remove food and water from the coop so you can check her in the morning. Crop should feel empty. Let us know. Chickens are really good at hiding symptoms, acting normal when they don't feel well, it protects them from predators. You might smell her breath as well.

 

[Ecarroll]

Check her crop tonight when she goes to roost and compare it to some other hens. Does it feel the same or different. Doughy, gritty, hard, anything different? Then check her again in the morning before she has a chance to eat or drink anything. If necessary remove food and water from the coop so you can check her in the morning. Crop should feel empty. Let us know. Chickens are really good at hiding symptoms, acting normal when they don't feel well, it protects them from predators. You might smell her breath as well.

Just checked her for mites, didn’t see anything (except poopy but and a tick). Felt crop compared to another one I could catch, felt the same.
She is limping now, stepping heavier on one foot. Still had strong appetite.