depressed silkie hen......

[jackrooster]

My silkie cross Nyomie is very very depressed!! I feel so bad. She had been sitting on 6 eggs and i candeled some of them and they were fertile and on by day 21 there was no hatching sooo when day 25 came around and there was still no hatching i put her back in the flock and took her egg away. Now she just mopes around the coop i cant get her to go free with the other she just wants to stay in the coop the only time i have seen her go outside was to get a drink it have been 4 day since i took her eggs away.........is this normal for a hen to do??? And i think the eggs didnt hatch because she is a first time mother ?? not tottally sure but ya

 

[feathersnuggles]

Purchase a few chicks from the feedstore and slip them under her at night, removing all the eggs. If you already planned to have her hatch some chicks anyway...nothing would make her happier than finding she has successfully "hatched" some babies and she can now become a momma hen!

That's what I would do for her.

 

[jackrooster]

i already took the eggs away and the feed store at our town dosent get chicks in......

 

[feathersnuggles]

Oh shoot! Well, just give her some time to adjust, I guess. Maybe she has spent so much time away from the other flock members, she feels like an outsider. And broody hens often lose weight so maybe she's just spent, nutritionally. Is she eating normally, and pooping normally?

 

[jackrooster]

i saw her eating some yes and drinking i havent seen her poop thoe buut i dont aboserve alot of her......

 

[feathersnuggles]

OK, good to know she's eating. I'd give her an overall check, hold her and see if she feels thin, etc. Maybe she could use a small nutritional boost of some protein to recharge her batteries. Give her some scrambled egg, as a protein treat, away from where the other birds can see. Some easily absorbed protein, like hardcooked or scrambled egg, can help her get back into shape and feeling better.