- Feb 17, 2015
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*** update *** need some more help on this
The hen I wrote about was spending a little time in the nesting box this afternoon. She was moving around the hay and then squatting repeatedly, going from one box to the other. She eventually stopped, and she is now roosting in her normal spot with the other girls but she is squawking VERY LOUD while roosting and seems to be panting. It's not that hot today/tonight and none of the others are panting....is this normal behavior for a possible first time layer or is she having trouble????
Also, we did remove the rooster that was in her coop due to harassment today..... (Have discovered I'm not a big fan of roosters) so he is now in the coop next to them by himself, could she be upset he's not there? She is with the other 9 hens she is normally with and she definitely didn't seem to like the rooster when he was with them.... But I've heard they will sometimes mourn could this be it?
I am no chicken expert, and this is only my first flock but I had a hen(she has not laid any eggs yet) that was panting the other day even when none of the other hens were panting so I gave them some cool treats and that helped.
I will say that the first time my hen laid she took about 45 mins, she did a lot of rearranging straw and moving around the box squatting before the egg came. I think if you are really concerned you should pick her up and check her vent and make sure she is not egg bound. I also have a chicken that checks out the nest box but hasn't laid and I know before my one girl started laying she went into the box and fixed up her space but I didn't notice her panting. I doubt she is mourning the rooster (I like you am not a big fan of the cockerels but once they mature some say they are better...I rehomed mine).
Anyway that's just my thoughts from my research...when all else fails you check to make sure the hen is alright.