Constant Coop Pacing

[mamaskills]

Hello, I have six chickens that are six months old and there is one Rhode Island Red that spends most his day either going in and out or pacing inside my coop. His comb seems more pale and bumpy then the others. She is laying as we had six eggs the last two days.

Anyone know what’s wrong with her?

 

[Chicken poppy]

Pictures of the comb may be helpful.

Is it possible she is or is going broody? (Laying on her eggs to hatch them, often the behavior is “hissing” growling, puffing up feathers, more hostile, determined to lay on batch of eggs.) It’s also common for broody hens to steal other chickens eggs.

 

[mamaskills]

Pictures of the comb may be helpful.

Is it possible she is or is going broody? (Laying on her eggs to hatch them, often the behavior is “hissing” growling, puffing up feathers, more hostile, determined to lay on batch of eggs.) It’s also common for broody hens to steal other chickens eggs.

She isn’t really hanging out in the nesting boxes or sitting in eggs….just seems like she can’t make up her mind about going in or staying out…. It’s very weird. Upon further inspection, her comb seems not abnormal to our other RIR. If she is going broody, how do you break that?

 

[tlcmurphy]

Hello, I have six chickens that are six months old and there is one Rhode Island Red that spends most his day either going in and out or pacing inside my coop. His comb seems more pale and bumpy then the others. She is laying as we had six eggs the last two days.

Anyone know what’s wrong with her?

If you’ve had 6 eggs in 2 days you have 3 pullets laying. My guess is she’s about to start laying and doesn’t know what’s happening. Imagine the first time an egg that size pops out of a pullet, i’d freak out too!

 

[aart]

If you’ve had 6 eggs in 2 days you have 3 pullets laying. My guess is she’s about to start laying and doesn’t know what’s happening. Imagine the first time an egg that size pops out of a pullet, if freak out too!

x2

 

[mamaskills]

If you’ve had 6 eggs in 2 days you have 3 pullets laying. My guess is she’s about to start laying and doesn’t know what’s happening. Imagine the first time an egg that size pops out of a pullet, i’d freak out too!

Sorry I wasn’t very clear . We’ve had six eggs each day for the last three now. All of them laid again today! They are good egg layers!

 

[Chicken poppy]

She isn’t really hanging out in the nesting boxes or sitting in eggs….just seems like she can’t make up her mind about going in or staying out…. It’s very weird. Upon further inspection, her comb seems not abnormal to our other RIR. If she is going broody, how do you break that?

Not entirely sure she is broody but i’ll tell you how you can break it anyway.

Each broody hen is different. For example some might not be aggressive and the slightest disturbance gets them off the nest. While others hiss, growl, bite, attack, and refuse to get off no matter what.

For the ones who are less adamant on staying on the nest I usually take them off, distract them with food and foraging, cover the nest, remove the eggs, and if necessary put them on lockdown from being on nesting spots at all.

If they make another nest to stay on i put a cold frozen water bottle (towel on top so it doesn’t stick to the feathers) and it usually gets them off. I personally avoid doing this unless necessary because i feel bad since they start shaking.

Anyways thats what i do for mine but again yours may just not be broody. Does she have any broody behavior at all?






If not i know some chickens are picky on egg laying spots, maybe shes just trying to pick out the right one to lay her egg? Mine used to do that but would scream and demand i carry her to all possible nest sights so she could decide where to lay.

Sorry for the long reply. TLDR; what i do to break my broody hens. Yours may not be broody, maybe shes picky on where to lay her egg?