Frantic First Time Chicken Owner Needs Help!!!!!!!!

[Bobbi]

I have been trying to get answers from everywhere to my questions. I have been ignored even by my own vet...
I have a one year old Buff Orpington chicken and I love her very much!
For the past four days, her behavior has drastically changed and I don't know whether her issues are behavioral, hormonal or whether she is sick. I am so frustrated and I want to help her! Her symptoms are that she is puffed up all the time and is flaring out her vent. Her comb is not standing straight up. Her vent was dirty but I bathed her this morning and we then found out that constipation is not her problem. We have had no eggs for three days but when I bathed her, I did not feel anything. She runs from us rather than towards us and wants only to be in her nest box. She used to roost in a tree at night. There is only one vet near me and that is about a three hour round trip. I will take her but I need someone to give me some clue as to what can be wrong with her!! I have been told that she is just in brooding mode and that it will pass but I can't deal with not knowing if she is sick and needs medical attention.

Please, please give me any advice that you can to help me out! Thank you!

 

[rooster-red]

You have a broody hen!

 

[arlee453]

Not surprised your vet isn't very helpful. Most have no clue about chickens - even many farm/livestock and even some avian vets aren't very experienced with chickens.

two possiblities come to my mind.

Either she IS in broody mode, which would explain a change in behavior like sitting in the next box full time and no eggs. When they are broody they won't lay.

OR she may be egg bound, which would also explain lack of eggs and lethargy.

It would be helpful to know what type of breed she is, is she housed with other chickens, is she eating/drinking/pooping normally? Sounds like the pooping thing is OK.

I'll leave it to the other experts here to chime in...

Hope she is back to normal soon!!

 

[jkcove08]

If she tried to tear your hand off when you reach for her she is in full broodiness..lol When she is in the nest box try placing 3 or 4 eggs by her and see if she rolls them under. You will know for sure at that point. The best thing is to let her sit them out to hatch. If you dont want chicks or dont have fertile eggs you will have to put her in a wire bottomed cage for 3 or 4 days. For what ever reason that will usually throw a hen out of broodiness. Good luck and dont worry, she is not sick, just hormonal!!!! Jenn

 

[rooster-red]

Heres a link to my youtube video on broody hens