Chicken acting funny

[KatefromOz]

My little isa brown, Pip, layed her first egg today (yay). Ever since she has been really 'different'. She has been hiding out in the garage and resting. Not really eating or drinking...she ate a little bit of watermelon after i brought her out of the garage, but she just went back to the same spot under a chair in the garage. I would say her poop is borderline diarrhea but it doesn't look too serious. She doesn't seem to have any other problems that I can see (crop and abdomen seem fine). Is this just her way of dealing with egg laying? Would appreciate any advice thanks!

 

[cavemanrich]

Is she hanging under chair to avoid other chickens that may be aggressive towards her??? If she is laying, I think she is fine.. JMO..

 

[Pork Pie]

Is she hanging under chair to avoid other chickens that may be aggressive towards her??? If she is laying, I think she is fine.. JMO..

I too have seen pullets being pecked a day or so before they lay their first egg. Evidently there is a change in behaviour caused by imminent egg laying and the rest of the flock react. Whether this is the reason for her behaviour, I'm not sure

 

[KatefromOz]

Thanks for the replies! I haven't witnessed the other chickens being aggressive towards her (we only have 3). I guess I'll just keep an eye on her.

 

[aart]

She doesn't seem to have any other problems that I can see (crop and abdomen seem fine).

Have you handled her and looked close at these since she laid?
Also take a good look at vent, make sure everything's OK back there.

 

[KatefromOz]

Have you handled her and looked close at these since she laid?
Also take a good look at vent, make sure everything's OK back there.

I picked her up yesterday and her crop was full and appreared normal. Didn't have a good look at her vent...I always find that a bit tricky when I don't have a helper. She seems to be moving around a lot more now though. Maybe not quite as much as usual but a lot more than the egg laying day. She didn't lay yesterday so i will be interested to see if we get one today her wattle and comb have been really red the past few days!