disease or old age?

[cwyrick1022]

I have an older silkie hen who has been acting strange. She has been completely withdrawn from the flock and stays sitting on her egg She will not leave. Its almost broody-like behavior. I keep her from the coop 10 minutes or so daily and I take away her egg. When I put her out of the coop she makes this constant bak bak bak bak bak and flaps arpund and runs everywhere. Like shes scared. She is only content when I hold her or she in her nesting box in the coop... She is so sweet and very docile and she is at the bottom of the pecking order. She started acting this was over a month ago. I did notice it started around the time one of my other silkie chicks became mature enough start laying. Could it have to do with the new addition to the flock or is she sick. i have no clue. I have never had this problem before. My Flock is small only 4 birds and one chick being raised by her mother.

 

[Poultry Place]

Is she laying? Sounds like she is broody and trying to get back to her nest.

 

[snow5164]

How old? Did I miss that ...

 

[lilmillefleur]

My silkies do that too when they are really broody. They puff up with their butts in the air and extend their wings while making agitated clucking noises. The others would peck on them and they run all over the place. They are berserk...

 

[Ninja Squirrel]

One of my girls gets really "hormonal" for several weeks before she finally realises she's broody. Hard to describe but she's just really grumpy and keeps flapping and screeching for no obvious reason, and walks around making that annoyed "bok bok bok" sound, like a confused teenager who knows they're upset about something, but they're not quite sure what. Then a few weeks later she's sitting on eggs.

I think hormones are confusing for every species when they first kick in.