Help Please

[shawnellabella]

So my uncle gave me my favorite hen out of his chickens and she used to fit in with the flock and stuff but then she started nesting and the first time it was so bad, she was so underweight it was sad. She was so desperate to be a mother. So I took her out and fed her and gave her water in a separate facility, this went on a few days then I reintroduced her to the flock. She was okay for a while but all the hens continued to pick on her and she nested again, and some idiot put Easter eggs in there and she was trying to hatch them. So that's about the time my uncle gave her to me, she's a little underweight and I have been feeding her and watering her and letting her free roam a bit. But she stops to rest allot, it's been three days and she hasn't laid any eggs, is this normal? What can I do to help her?

 

[GuppyTJ]

Is she by herself or with any other chickens? Chickens don't do well as solitary animals, which is why I ask. They are very social and need other chickens in order to be happy. If she's alone, can you ask your father for at least 1 more chicken, one or maybe even two that she got along with?

I don't know anything about chickens going broody, which is what I think she was doing when she was trying to hatch eggs. I know some things about chickens but I've never had experience with a broody hen. You'll have to wait to see if someone else has suggestions/understanding of this behavior.

Guppy

 

[shawnellabella]

She is solitary now and is laying an egg it sounds like but all my uncles chickens pick on her, I have a chick but she despises it

 

[shawnellabella]

 

[WoodlandWoman]

If she's underweight and has been inactive for awhile, it may take a little time for her to put on weight and get her strength back. More than three days. She might just need more time. If you're free feeding her a balanced diet, she should eat what she needs.

I would try not to stress her too much, until she gets stronger. I think giving her a little free range time is good for her. The foraging will up her nutrition and she can exercise at her own pace. They're usually happy foraging, which is also a good way to boost immune systems. Other than that, I would just watch for any signs of illness, which can pop up when chickens are moved to a new home.

 

[GuppyTJ]

I would still try getting the least aggressive of your uncle's chickens and putting her with your hen. If it's just the 2 of them, they might get along better. Chickens don't do well by themselves, they are highly social. You could try searching this forum to learn about how chickens behave when there is just one of them and see what others say. But most of all, we read that everyone says never have just 1 chicken alone. I think they just get depressed and miserable.

Good luck to you. I know you're trying to help her be happy.
Guppy

 

[shawnellabella]

I would still try getting the least aggressive of your uncle's chickens and putting her with your hen.  If it's just the 2 of them, they might get along better.  Chickens don't do well by themselves, they are highly social.  You could try searching this forum to learn about how chickens behave when there is just one of them and see what others say.  But most of all, we read that everyone says never have just 1 chicken alone.  I think they just get depressed and miserable.

Good luck to you.  I know you're trying to help her be happy.
Guppy

 

Thank you, will do c: she's feeling a bit better

 

[shawnellabella]

If she's underweight and has been inactive for awhile, it may take a little time for her to put on weight and get her strength back.  More than three days.  She might just need more time.  If you're free feeding her a balanced diet, she should eat what she needs.

I would try not to stress her too much, until she gets stronger.  I think giving her a little free range time is good for her.  The foraging will up her nutrition and she can exercise at her own pace.  They're usually happy foraging, which is also a good way to boost immune systems.  Other than that, I would just watch for any signs of illness, which can pop up when chickens are moved to a new home.

 

Thank you so much