Hen acting strange!

[Esand]

One of my sapphire gems is suddenly acting strange. Tonight I went to close the coop about 5 hours later than normal (I forgot) and the gem was sitting by the gate- I suspect she was trying to sleep? I nudged her along and she didn't want to walk up the ramp into the coop- mind you it's very cold and windy here, like >30°F- so I chased her, caught her, and put her in. From behind I saw she had poop down her backside. Maybe got stuck in her fluffy butt? She wasn't overly fast, but she wasn't limping. Too cold and dark to do a thorough check. Think she is being bullied? Poopy butt a culprit? Anyone else's hens randomly refuse to go in the coop?

 

[nuthatched]

Hi there, we need more information. Age? Diet? Coop size? How many birds? Crop feel?

 

[Esand]

Hi there, we need more information. Age? Diet? Coop size? How many birds? Crop feel?

1 year old, normal layer feed, scratch and kitchen scraps, about 21 birds total, coop is big enough for them all but not too roomy....not sure about crop. It was too dark and cold to check her over thoroughly, it will have to wait til morning. What all should I check on her tomorrow?

 

[BDutch]

Anyone else's hens randomly refuse to go in the coop?

It happens more often a chicken is not allowed to roost with the flock. My Janice was bullied when she was a young pullet without brothers or sisters.

She preferred to sleep in one of the nestboxes as far away from the others as possible. I put her on the roost with the others every evening but the problem maintained and she became a nervous chicken. I stopped interfering and after a while she started to roost in the little coop near to the nest boxes. Finally she became more confident and the bullying stopped. On and off she had periods she preferred to sleep alone and with the flock. But most of the time she sleeps on the little coop away from the others.

Maybe it’s a good idea to make another roost or shelter for her , so she can sleep somewhere else than the flock. Or is the coop too small to realise a private space? You might even consider a corner for her in the garage/an empty bathroom where she can sleep in peace until spring?

 

[Esand]

It happens more often a chicken is not allowed to roost with the flock. My Janice was bullied when she was a young pullet without brothers or sisters.

She preferred to sleep in one of the nestboxes as far away from the others as possible. I put her on the roost with the others every evening but the problem maintained and she became a nervous chicken. I stopped interfering and after a while she started to roost in the little coop near to the nest boxes. Finally she became more confident and the bullying stopped. On and off she had periods she preferred to sleep alone and with the flock. But most of the time she sleeps on the little coop away from the others.

Maybe it’s a good idea to make another roost or shelter for her , so she can sleep somewhere else than the flock. Or is the coop too small to realise a private space? You might even consider a corner for her in the garage/an empty bathroom where she can sleep in peace until spring?

After looking at her this morning, I don't think it's a matter of being bullied or pushed out. The poop on her backside now looks like frozen egg white hanging off her butt...didn't go to food or water this morning. Just huddled in a corner of the run.
Anything I can do?

 

[teach1rusl]

Here, when I’ve had hens with egg issues, I’ve given them a warm bath and blow dry (I think the heat relaxes them a bit), and then kept in a warm, dim area with food/water. At least here, it’s always resolved within a day. If I‘ve suspected difficulty passing an egg, I’ll also rub a little Vaseline inside the vent. This sounds more like maybe a soft shelled egg/jello egg broke before being expelled or something along those line. Warmth does help though, imo, because the body naturally tenses when it’s cold…

 

[BDutch]

Sorry, I can’t help with egg issues. Do you have a picture of the egg on her feathers and her butt?

Maybe one of the med cracks @Wyorp Rock or @Eggcessive, can help?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would soak her in a tub or sink of warm soapy water to get the frozen egg material and any poop off of her. Dry her well, and blow dry. Give her a human calcium citrate with vitamin d tablet orally just into her beak to swallow. Repeat the calcium once a day until she lays again or for 7 days.She may be just having a temporary problem with low calcium, or she could be starting to have symptoms of a reproductive disorder. Let us know how she gets along.