- Oct 2, 2009
- 19
- 0
- 22
...do I have a more serious problem?
This is the first winter that I've had my chickens. My hen has been laying in her nesting box a lot, lately. She's there every time I go out to check on them. My rooster is some times laying by her, but he's a least moving around the coop. He's also acting very protective of her. They're usually pretty protective of each other, but he is, more so, lately. He tried to attack my arm, when I was checking for eggs, the other day.
I have seen her peck at her food, so she's eating some. And, she's still laying eggs. She didn't lay one, yet today, though.
They haven't really come out of their coop at all. But, then again, it's been below freezing temps for the past week or so. So, I've had a heating lamp on inside their coop.
Well, we brought her out today. My daughter decided to pull her around in the sled. She just laid there, not really minding it (she's always been a pretty calm and gentle chicken, and lets my girls pick her up and carry her around. This past summer/fall, she's been put on swings and been made to hang out in their tree house...all the while, with my rooster going crazy, of course. He doesn't like when you mess with her.) But, anyway, when my daughter brought her back to me, she had pooped on the sled, real runny poop. When I placed her on the ground, she just sat there. Then again, I know they don't like to walk in the snow and where she was laying, by their coop, she was in some grass.
Well, I put her back inside her nesting box and told my girls to leave her alone for now. Do you think she's okay? Is she just being lazy and not liking the weather or do you think it's something more serious? My daughters would be devastated if something happened to her. Please, help!
Thanks!
This is the first winter that I've had my chickens. My hen has been laying in her nesting box a lot, lately. She's there every time I go out to check on them. My rooster is some times laying by her, but he's a least moving around the coop. He's also acting very protective of her. They're usually pretty protective of each other, but he is, more so, lately. He tried to attack my arm, when I was checking for eggs, the other day.
I have seen her peck at her food, so she's eating some. And, she's still laying eggs. She didn't lay one, yet today, though.
They haven't really come out of their coop at all. But, then again, it's been below freezing temps for the past week or so. So, I've had a heating lamp on inside their coop.
Well, we brought her out today. My daughter decided to pull her around in the sled. She just laid there, not really minding it (she's always been a pretty calm and gentle chicken, and lets my girls pick her up and carry her around. This past summer/fall, she's been put on swings and been made to hang out in their tree house...all the while, with my rooster going crazy, of course. He doesn't like when you mess with her.) But, anyway, when my daughter brought her back to me, she had pooped on the sled, real runny poop. When I placed her on the ground, she just sat there. Then again, I know they don't like to walk in the snow and where she was laying, by their coop, she was in some grass.
Well, I put her back inside her nesting box and told my girls to leave her alone for now. Do you think she's okay? Is she just being lazy and not liking the weather or do you think it's something more serious? My daughters would be devastated if something happened to her. Please, help!
Thanks!
