Fluffed up older hen

[jaxchickens]

I'm new to chickens and starting to panic with the behavior of one of my hens. Wynonna was fluffed up this morning when I went out with morning feed. Normally she runs around with the others and pushes into the coop for breakfast, today she stayed in the yard fluffed up and kinda lethargic. I pushed her with a stick through the fence and she got right up and walked around with no wobbles or falling, then went back to her corner and laid back down all fluffed up. No sniffles or sneezes, no fluids leaking, and all the poop in the coop looks normal.

She is older but I don't know how old. I bought her at a farm swap last year with another hen, Naomi, both Wyandottes. She was an adult and was I told that she was a two egg a day hen, and a former 4H project bird. She gave me three whole eggs before she molted and then decided to stop laying completely, and Naomi never laid an egg. It's been about six months with no eggs, no signs of illness other than her fluffy and lethargic day today. Any suggestions?

 

[Smelly2005au]

i have a light sussex cross hen that fluffed up the other day at me being near her, and she proceeded to sit on her nest, so i just assumed cluckiness. Perhaps your hen has gone broody also. My Sussex get around growling and clucking the last few days, again due to broodyness, Does yours make growly type of clucking noises too? She might just be broody

 

[jaxchickens]

I don't think I have ever heard her make any noise other than a few squawks when I pick her up. Can they go six months without laying from broodiness?

 

[jaxchickens]

I don't think I have ever heard her make any noise other than a few squawks when I pick her up. Can they go six months without laying from broodiness?

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Check her for mites. Are her poops normal?

 

[Smelly2005au]

Not sure how long they go off the lay when they go broody. My little bantam mum went broody and has stoped laying, She stoped about 11 weeks ago, I set eggs under her, she hatched them the chicks are now penned seperate to her, and shes still yet to lay me another egg, She was bought from a stock feed, And was starting laying before she went broody, But nothing yet still and her chicks havent been with her for about 5 weeks. Its all got to do with their hormones when they go broody, You can stop them being broody by locking them away from their nesting place. i have had to stop my sussex cross when my bantam was broody as the sussex kept pushing mummy hen off the eggs and trying herself lol. how ever my sussex still lays eggs everyday.

 

[jaxchickens]

Check her for mites. Are her poops normal? 

Poops are all normal.

 

[Michael Apple]

Did you check her crop? Is it hard or swollen? Chickens fluffing up and being lethargic could be many things. You'll have to examine her closely.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Quote: You should check her for mites or lice. Check under the wings, around the vent area, behind the hackles and at the base of the tail.

 

[jaxchickens]

Not sure how long they go off the lay when they go broody. My little bantam mum went broody and has stoped laying, She stoped about 11 weeks ago, I set eggs under her, she hatched them the chicks are now penned seperate to her, and shes still yet to lay me another egg, She was bought from a stock feed, And was starting laying before she went broody, But nothing yet still and her chicks havent been with her for about 5 weeks. Its all got to do with their hormones when they go broody, You can stop them being broody by locking them away from their nesting place. i have had to stop my sussex cross when my bantam was broody as the sussex kept pushing mummy hen off the eggs and trying herself lol. how ever my sussex still lays eggs everyday.

She rarely even uses the nesting boxes. Her and Naomi both prefer roosting on branches in the coop. She was in a nesting box about an hour ago which is very odd for her.