Chicken Walking around with her feathers fluffed up and squawking. Is this normal?

[ChickenTender1203]

I have a hen that has been walking around all poofed up and making a loud squaking noise since they were let out this morning. She is a 1 year old buff orpington. She has been broody two times and since her last time she has not laid an egg so I don't think she is broody. She was pacing back and forth in her run trying to get out so I let her out. She usually jumps the fence anyways. We keep our 2 roosters outside the run but she spends a lot of time with one on particular. Last night she did stay out until 10 pm when we found her on the porch which was very odd they all go in around 8. We aren't sure where she went. We also just had one of our hens die a couple days ago from a prolapsed vent. Not sure if that could be the cause. Any ideas as to what is causing her to act in this way? Should I be comcerned?

 

[Shadrach]

I have a hen that has been walking around all poofed up and making a loud squaking noise since they were let out this morning. She is a 1 year old buff orpington. She has been broody two times and since her last time she has not laid an egg so I don't think she is broody. She was pacing back and forth in her run trying to get out so I let her out. She usually jumps the fence anyways. We keep our 2 roosters outside the run but she spends a lot of time with one on particular. Last night she did stay out until 10 pm when we found her on the porch which was very odd they all go in around 8. We aren't sure where she went. We also just had one of our hens die a couple days ago from a prolapsed vent. Not sure if that could be the cause. Any ideas as to what is causing her to act in this way? Should I be comcerned?

She may have a nest somewhere other than in the run. Better to find it before she fully commits to sitting. Follow the hen when she goes to lay.

 

[Kiki]

Have you checked her closely for a prolapse yet?

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I had one who did that and just as Shadrach suggested, she had made a nest in a big rock pile at the end of our property. She was running to the nest first thing when she got out in the morning and then at sunset before going in for the night.

But the "all fluffed up" part suggests she is ill or wounded. She needs a full detailed exam. She may have a bite or tear.

All the best to both of you, hope it is a mystery nest

 

[ChickenTender1203]

She never left the coop area that we saw but she had been fluffed up and was squaking for the rest of the day. She also hadn't been making her broody dinosaur sound at me whenever I went near her like she always has when she has been broody and she didnt try to peck at me. She stopped doing it the day after so I think it may have had something to do with whatever she had been doing the night before when she disappeared for a few hours at night. She still has not been laying since she was last broody but I think she is going to be starting again soon. We still aren't sure where exactly she wandered off to so close to sundown.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

they are ladies of mystery at times

at least she isn't hurt... that is the blessing in all this

 

[raingarden]

A hen that is physically ill doesn't usually squawk. Sounds like an emotional problem to me.