Hello

[TishandPhil]

Hi All. We currently have 3 hens that are 3.5 years old. We have loved having them but have an issue or 2 that has started. One of our girls seems to hurt her hip and limps or lays down a lot, it takes her a couple of weeks to get back to her normal self. She will move out of the pen and run and plop down in the yard and eat what is around her. She is the smallest and wonder if she has been picked on. We have 2 brown hens and an Australorp (who is head chook and very bossy)
The 2nd issue we have is we can hear one of the girls crowing and it is very loud. We live in the suburbs in Brisbane Australia and can't have roosters. Is this normal for a hen to crow? We are worried our new neighbours may complain. I have not been able to id which one is doing it but we think it is the Australorp. The other brown hen we have has grown what looks like a spur on one of her legs is this normal? Thanks all. We love our special girls and they have been such a help with eggs and helping to desensitize our little egg allergic child who has now been able to eat the yolk no worries. Thanks.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Sorry about your limping hen. She could be being picked on or possibly just sprained something in her hip. I would separate her out from the flock for a couple weeks and keep her in a small cage so she doesn't move around much. If this is a sprain or strain, it may heal if she just stays off of it. Keep the cage small and the feed and water right there for her. However keep this cage within the flock so you don't have to thru the reintroduction thing later. This is what I would try if she were my hen

As for your crower, hens can crow and even grow spurs. Are you sure she is a hen? You can post a pic in our What Gender section here on BYC for some good ID if you are not 100% sure....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this

Good luck with your flock. If your hen doesn't improve after a couple weeks in a small cage, or at any time you are not sure, you can post this question in our emergency section for more help...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Welcome to your flock and I hope you can get your hen back to good health soon.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

In the absence of a rooster some hens will take on a rooster role in the hen house. Not sure how to prevent it, but you may try separating her completely from the other girls for a few days and then see if she comes back lower in the pecking order.

 

[drumstick diva]

Glad you joined the flock

 

[roostersandhens]

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! TwoCrows gave you some good suggestions about dealing with your hurt hen. Do check her legs and feet, toes etc over really well, sometimes it seems like a different part of their leg is hurting when they limp. X2 hens can take over the role of a rooster if there isn't one, and some hens have spurs, they can also have reproductive problems and "turn" into a rooster, do you know if they are all laying eggs?

 

[gander007]

 

[TishandPhil]

Thank you everyone. Yes the 3 we have are all girls and up until November they were all laying. We have had an extended summer and it was very hot. The girls all went off the lay and went into a second malt for the year. We have 2 that are back to laying but it is just the one left. Which could be because of her sore leg. She is the smaller of them all and sometimes gets pushed off the perch by the larger dominant hen. I am starting to think she has sprained it. I will give what Two crows has mentioned a go and see how we go. Thank you all for the welcome and your help.