Buff Orpington is Bullying my Brooding Australorp, but also displaying symptoms

[The_Cat]

I started this thread about my broody chicken, and thought I should also post here as I have concerns about another chicken.

1) The bird in question is my Buff Orpington, two years old, and I have noticed she is smaller than usual. I have checked for any abnormalities around her abdomen, and everything seemed normal. But I am inexperienced...
2) I have a broody australorp I am trying to retrain, and the buff orpington has been bullying her. I feel like my australorp might be nearing the end of her broodiness, but she is still isolating herself. When I try to move her to the roost at night with the other chickens, the buff orpington tries to push her off the roost.
3) I've noticed these symptoms for about a week. My australorp has been broody though for nearly 3 weeks.
4) I have 2 Americaunas who seem 100% uninterested in the drama happening between the australorp and the buff orpington. They are laying eggs as normal. However, both the australorp and the buff orpington have stopped laying. I get why the australorp isn't laying, but not the buff orpington.
5) Have not noticed any sign of injury or trauma.
6) The only thing that I can think of to cause this situation is my australorp being broody. But as I think my Australorp'd broodiness is dwindling, the Buff Orpington's bullying at night is not letting up.
7) Eating habit is normal. She free ranges and has crumbles for food. She also gets scratch and mealworms.
8) Poop is normal.
9) I haven't administered any treatment. I've just been monitoring the chickens at night to make sure they are nice. They don't seem to mind each other during the day.
10 ) I'd like to provide treatment on my own. I don't have a chicken vet that I trust or one that is affordable.
11) N/A no wounds.
12) The chickens have pine shavings and straw in their coop/run, and a grassy lawn.

Thank you!

 

[aart]

How long since the BO laid?

 

[The_Cat]

Not sure. I've been writing down their egg laying for about a week. It could be around 2 weeks since she laid.

 

[aart]

You're Americauna/EE are both laying blue/green eggs?
Any chance the BO may be hiding a nest?
Do you free range?
Here's how to tell....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[The_Cat]

One Americauna lays green and one lays blue. They do free range in my yard, and I've searched all over for eggs but have found nothing. My chickens don't generally lay outside their nesting boxes though unless the one they want to use isn't available.

It is normal for my Orpington to not lay for a few days or a week and then all of a sudden lay a giant 4oz egg.

 

[aart]

It is normal for my Orpington to not lay for a few days or a week and then all of a sudden lay a giant 4oz egg.

Not sure it's 'normal' but it's possible.

They do free range in my yard, and I've searched all over for eggs but have found nothing.

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[The_Cat]

Well, these aren't new chickens. They're 2 years old. And they aren't laying outside the nesting box. Just the Orpington isn't laying at all without a known reason.

Not sure it's 'normal' but it's possible.


Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

Thanks, but she's not laying outside the nesting box. She's just not laying at all.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Have you done a physical check of the BO's bum?
aart posted a great article so you can know what you ate looking for.

It is important to check. If she is in fact not laying she could have other issues starting.

 

[sawilliams]

Have you keep the hens inside the coop/ run for at least a few days? Just becuase you can't find a nest doesn't mean she isn't hiding eggs.... I found 1 nest almost a week after my trash can area started to smell funky, I knew they where laying less but for weeks i couldn't find anything. We were cleaning up leaves last fall and I happened to move one of the spare cans and found almost 2 dozen eggs (all went in the trash). There was no way i could have seen then with out moving the cans. Another time more recent. In a potted rose bush that i walk past every day in plain view was another dozen, I'm not sure how long that had been there but one of the girls laid at 3 of the eggs so that was going on at least 3-4 days before my mom saw it.

Any time you have free ranging hens and 1 stops laying, if there are no other obvious issues you need to lock then up for at least 2-3 days or more to confirm if she is laying or not. Outs very possible the reason you aren't finding a hidden nest is becuase its very well hidden, or a predator had goings the free snacks.

 

[Wolfsbane]

I would separate the BO from the others for a few days, that way you can also tell for sure or not if she is laying, I have a Delaware hen that loves to bully any broody hen or duck when they are trying to nest so I take her out when she get's bad to avoid injuries.