Hi I'm new here, my name is Jeni. Looking forward to learning more about my chickens.

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Jenion

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Apr 4, 2024
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I'm having a problem with my chickens. My Black Ameracauna has been staying in her nesting box all day every day. Still laying an egg every day. I assumed she was going broody. She's 1 years old and one of a flock of 5. It was six but now 5 because I just got rid of a real big bully who has been to chicken jail 3 times now, 2 weeks at a stretch.
Right after the bully left, Betty started coming out of the nesting box. I've been going down several times a day taking her off and making her go into the run. She gets mad, puffs up and growls when I do this. She'd eat/drink run right back in. So I was glad to see her out all day for a few days on her own. Now today, she's back in there. I took her out of the nesting box and she was angry and growling and puffed up as she usually does when forced out. One of my other hens saw this and started pecking her.
I've read if something is wrong with one they will go after them. Could this be the problem? They weren't going after her when she willingly came off herself the other day. I'm at my wits end trying to figure out what the problem is. Can anyone help me figure this out?
When she started staying in the nest all day, she slept there too.
I have a large 8×10 coop, a large 26ft run. Free feed crumbles. They do not free range.
Thank you in advance.
 
:welcome:welcome:welcome

Welcome to BackYard Chickens! Check her belly for any bald spots. When they go broody, they like to pluck their chests to get their body heat closer to their eggs. Some chickens will start "talking broody" (making the broody cluck and acting broody) days to weeks before going broody. Some chickens will start talking broody not because they're going to go broody, but because there is a bullying issue. Because of what you said about her being bullied previously, if you can confirm she isn't broody (her belly isn't bald), then I would check this article out to see if this can help things: Chicken bully/chicken victim - a two-sided issue
 
Lacy Duckwing said:
:welcome:welcome:welcome

Welcome to BackYard Chickens! Check her belly for any bald spots. When they go broody, they like to pluck their chests to get their body heat closer to their eggs. Some chickens will start "talking broody" (making the broody cluck and acting broody) days to weeks before going broody. Some chickens will start talking broody not because they're going to go broody, but because there is a bullying issue. Because of what you said about her being bullied previously, if you can confirm she isn't broody (her belly isn't bald), then I would check this article out to see if this can help things: Chicken bully/chicken victim - a two-sided issue
Click to expand...
I will give her a good look tomorrow. The only place I've noticed feathers missing is under her beak. Just a little. No visible mites, treated everyone with Ivermectin (1× then again 10 days later) just in case of depluming mites.
 

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