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Chicken hasn't left nest for 1 week +. What is wrong???

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by sharone, Aug 20, 2008.

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  1. Aug 20, 2008 #1
    sharone

    sharone Out Of The Brooder

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    I had a healthy and active chicken. One day she was sitting in her box all day. I thought she was egg bound. She had her egg and was still sitting in her box. I never see her leave. I left her water in the box and as far as I know that is all she has had for a week.

    Her eyes and comb look good, but she is looking more pale. She is alert and responsive to my visitations and touch.

    At first I thought maybe her crop got too full, but surely this would have worked its way through by now?

    Any ideas what may be wrong and how I could treat her?

    What could transform her from healthy one day to never leaving her box the next???

    I may put this in illnesses also, so please ignore if you see this twice. Thanks for suggestions.

    Sharon
     
  3. Aug 20, 2008 #2
    Chicky Joy

    Chicky Joy Chillin' With My Peeps

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    I've never had any personal experience with this but from what I've read on this forum it sounds like she may have gone broody. There are tons of threads on here dealing with the issue.
     
  5. Aug 20, 2008 #3
    cajunlizz

    cajunlizz Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Quote:She is broody
     
  7. Aug 20, 2008 #4
    rooster-red

    rooster-red Here comes the Rooster

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    Sounds to me like she is broody!

    Put some hatching eggs under her and in 21 days you'll have chicks!
     
  9. Aug 20, 2008 #5
    luvmychicknkids

    luvmychicknkids Canning Squirrel

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    Yup, definitely sounds broody!!! Wish mine was. Do you have a roo so she can actually hatch her eggs?
     
  11. Aug 20, 2008 #6
    justusnak

    justusnak Flock Mistress

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    Definately sounds to me like she is broody. Does she " puff up" or "growl" when you approach her??
    Do you have fertile eggs for her? Maybe you " need" babies! LOL
     
  13. Aug 20, 2008 #7
    sharone

    sharone Out Of The Brooder

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    May 2, 2008
    Wichita
    Broody? Would that stop her from eating and getting up?
    I am not breeding, so I can try a couple of plastic easter eggs.

    She is very friendly when I visit her and touch her. She does puff up her neck feathers.

    Any suggestions on how I can differentiate between a chicken that is sick and a chicken that is just being broody???
     
  15. Aug 20, 2008 #8
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

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    A broody will get up once a day to eat and poo. She may lose weight and conditioning. A sick bird will be listless and not respond to you or puff much.

    If you do not want her to hatch eggs, some can sit to death literally. Kick her off, lock her out, put her in a wire bottom cage and make her roost till she is over it. It is all hormonal and if you don't want her to hatch eggs, best to break her sooner rather than later.
     
  17. Aug 20, 2008 #9
    sharone

    sharone Out Of The Brooder

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    May 2, 2008
    Wichita
    That is DEFINITELY good to know. I would have let her sit forever waiting for her "illness" to pass. It sounds like this calls for some "tough love." I will give her the boot tomorrow morning and lock her out of the coop and run.

    THANKS!
     
  19. Aug 20, 2008 #10
    claud

    claud Chillin' With My Peeps

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    She definitely sounds broody. I never kick mine off the nest - I just let them sit it out(of course you won't get any eggs from her while she's broody). I make sure they have food and water nearby. She is probably getting off the nest sometime during the day when you aren't watching. If she sits for a while her comb may get smaller and not as red - this is normal for a broody as they are not laying when they are sitting.
     
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