I let one of my Australorps sit on a couple of eggs. She was great, and hatched out the two chicks. Ever since though she's not been the same. For a while I thought I was going to lose her. She would just sit on the floor of the coop. I separated her, gave her supplements and antibiotics, just in case. She seemed to perk up a bit, but not much improvement. I dewormed and dusted the entire flock. After almost a month decided she need to go back with the flock. She isn't AS mopey as she was before, but still not a happy hen. I often find her in a corner on the floor. She doesn't go to roost any more even though I have a ladder up there. She was sleeping in a nest box, now she just sleeps in a corner. When I let the birds out to free range she'll sometimes go out, but I usually find her in the run, once again just laying there.I watched her a few days ago come into the run from outside and she had a hard time getting over the 2 x 6 board (5 1/2"'s) at the threshold. She appears to be otherwise alert. Her comb remains shrunken though. I feel bad for her. I know it's not normal, but does it occasionally happy that being broody just takes too much out of them? Anyone else have a similar thing happen? Any advice? ETA: The chicks hatched out late June of last year.
did she hatch any chicks ?? and i ahve had a hen sit there and do nuthing for 6 months after i broke her broody because i didnt have eggs sometimes they can become "depressed" if nto enoigh chicks or no chicks hatch
If you took the chicks away from her at hatch and she did not raise them, that could be the problem. The hormone cycle is geared to hatching then raising them. They can indeed get sick from sitting on eggs, especially if they don't get up and move around and eat and drink enough. It's possible she now has a sore hip or similar joint problem; there are probably other things that could have happened to her that I don't even know about. I don't see much you can do except maybe a little extra nutrition, maybe a scrambled egg and vitamins in the water. Good luck!
