Im worried!

[Njerz28]

One of my girls is acting strange. Puffing up a lot. Feathers are ruffled, not aggressive towards us. Laying in the coop, wont come out unless i pick her up.. Making some noises. Will eat quick,take a drink,and go back in. They will be a year old at the end of April. She is Cochin.,Or possibly a brahma..We have a small 11 bird ,backyard flock,only hens.. Should I worry? Is she sick? Not sure if its broody,or illness..help!!

 

[Trishkabob]

hi, If she is broody she will sit in the nestbox rather than main part of the henhouse I would think. Is her crop swollen? If she is taking water that must be a good sign...one of ours stay/gies in to the house and roosts often when the othes are out and about. She sometimes sounds unhappy but insists on staying in (maybe more bothered by the cold. It has been a rough winter).
Good luck.

 

[PistolPetesCrew]

I think Trishkabob is right, I think she is just being broody. I've found that as long as she is eating and drinking there normally is no cause for concern.
Have you noticed if she is still laying eggs or not?

If she hasn't laid any eggs she could be egg bound. I would try feeling around her bottom area and see if you can feel any egg shape lumps. If you do feel the egg shaped lump, and if she doesn't mind being held; you could soak her bottom in warm water and gently massage the area.

If you do that it should relax the muscles and help the egg to pass.

Obviously if you live in a cold weather climate like I do, you will want to put a heating lamp on her to make sure she doesn't get a chill.

Again, unless you notice that she isn't laying any eggs I wouldn't worry too much about her because she's probably just being broody.

Please keep us posted, and good luck with your chicky.

 

[Njerz28]

Thank you both for your replies..She is laying still in the straw between the roost in the coop,or she will switch to the box. She is normally out an about,and first to greet me. I was out of town this week for work. But noticed this morning. I have a 11 girls, so hard to notice if she is laying or not. When I open the box her feathers go up,especially around her backside. She is still sweet ,eyes look normal, a little bit big when I go in to look at her. She lets me hold her and pick her up,no problem. When I take her out,she will go over to the food and will eat a bit,and then drink,puffs up,opens her wings,and goes back in. Minimal noises,but looks like she may be in pain. I watched her poop a couple of times,once was a bit loose,the other a bit hard with a bit of green and white. She overall looks like she is proofed up,more than normal.. We have warmed up a bit ,but it has been sparatic this week. We are in NJ. So it has been a rough winter. I feel bad,I love her! I don't want to lose her I hope she is ok...

 

[Nambroth]

Thank you both for your replies..She is laying still in the straw between the roost in the coop,or she will switch to the box. She is normally out an about,and first to greet me. I was out of town this week for work. But noticed this morning. I have a 11 girls, so hard to notice if she is laying or not. When I open the box her feathers go up,especially around her backside. She is still sweet ,eyes look normal, a little bit big when I go in to look at her. She lets me hold her and pick her up,no problem. When I take her out,she will go over to the food and will eat a bit,and then drink,puffs up,opens her wings,and goes back in. Minimal noises,but looks like she may be in pain. I watched her poop a couple of times,once was a bit loose,the other a bit hard with a bit of green and white. She overall looks like she is proofed up,more than normal.. We have warmed up a bit ,but it has been sparatic this week. We are in NJ. So it has been a rough winter. I feel bad,I love her! I don't want to lose her

I hope she is ok...

My girls always seem to go broody when I go out of town! I don't know why. But, I digress.
This DOES sound like broody behavior, and cochins are known to be broody. But, I don't want to lead you wrong and tell you not to worry... and end up with her being sick instead. I'd feel terrible.
Can you take a photo of her? Even a video would be great! Does she fluff up at you if you approach her? What happens if you reach your hand under her, as if you are looking for an egg?

 

[Eggcessive]

Insert a lubed finger inside her vent to check for egg binding. Check her crop for impacted crop (would be large and hard.) Check her skin all over and under vent for lice/mites or their eggs. Ruffled feathers on the back of the neck means fever. Green poos mean not eating. Give her some scrambled egg. Usually with a broody, if you carry them far from the nest box, they will have a huge broody poop and/or make a B-line back to the nest box. If you put any eggs beside them they will pull them under them. And even my sweet ones will growl at me when I approach them.

 

[Njerz28]

I will take a pic in the am, no growling at me, almost talks to me. Let me feed her from my hand. I checked around the vent, not hard. When I took her out of the box she ate,pooped and drank.. Ate some more and went right back in. I can def try scrambled eggs in the morning. Weird thing is my girls won't eat their eggs,but she was in the box earlier today,with 2 eggs under her, one in front. When I went to move the one in front of her,it was broken,and she was eating at it. I just hope she is ok.. Haven't checked on her in a few hours,as its dark out.. She is one of my favorites... Thank you all for your help. Again will post in the am with updates...

 

[Njerz28]

Ok she was still in the box this morning. She is nesting on one of my other girls egg. I took a video, but not the best footage. she let me pick her up and take her out, she went right for the water,and ate a little. Took a big poop, and then a looser, small one, and back in The box. I tried r touching the egg, and she nicely moved it back under her! Was kinda cute! I have never experienced brody (as this is my first flock).. but from what I have read, and your feedback, makes me think she is brody, and not sick! Thank God!

 

[ten chicks]

Sounds like she is broody I either break my hens from being broody or pull them out of their nest a couple of times a day just to ensure they are eating/drinking. Keep an eye on broody hens b/c they often do not eat properly and can become malnourished.

 

[Nambroth]

I have found cochins to be 'sweeter' broody hens than some other breeds. Of course, all birds are individuals! I'd love to see your video! Please keep an eye on her just in case. I would hate for her to be sick and no action be taken because we think she might be broody.

If she does not stop the behavior you may need to 'break' her of it, otherwise she can make herself sick trying to raise eggs that just won't hatch (or that don't exist... I have had a hen brood nothing before!). It is unhealthy for a hen to long-term brood.
There are many, many helpful threads on here that have ideas of how to break a broody hen.