Is my hen broody or something else?

[jjb1953]

I have an 11 month old golden comet who will not leave the nesting box.
She has been in there for about 4 hours squacking away. Sometimes just cooing but often squawking like she is going to lay an egg.
There are no rooster around.
Does this sound like she has gone broody or should I look for something else?


Thanks

Jen

 

[Mountain Peeps]

The constant sitting sounds like broodiness but not the sqwaking. Broody hens are normally quiet unless disturbed. Check her chest area, has she plucked out feathers to line her nest? (Which is another sign of broodiness.)

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKBroody.html
http://chickensontheporch.blogspot.com/2010/02/molting-broody-or-how-to-identify.html
http://blog.mypetchicken.com/2012/02/01/what-is-a-broody-hen/

 

[jjb1953]

Ok. Well she got off and wanted to come out of the coop but something is still off with her. Her feathers keep puffing out ... all of them.
She is still squacking and cooing.
She is actually the one I think I wrote about last fall re the noises she makes when she first started laying.
Another hen is now targeting her.
She also is pushing in and out as though she is trying to lay an egg but I think she laid one today.
Unless someone else laid two.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Jen

 

[Mountain Peeps]

She's not egg bound, right? The puffing up is another sign of broodiness. See if any of these links apply to her. If they do, she may be egg bound.

http://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/site/egg-bound-chicken-symptoms-and-treatment
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/06/egg-bound-hens-how-to-recognize-treat.html

 

[MyPetNugget]

It sounds a lot like she is broody. My BO puffs up and kind of growls when anyone comes near.

 

[jjb1953]

Well, she was not acting lethargic (more so she was restless and crazy) she was not droopy at all.
But she did have the pumping thing and fluffing going on.
She seemed a little less crazy this afternoon and all the girls getting along ok.
I will keep a close eye on her.

Oh another thing, we got double yolkers two days in a row. Is it possible the same chicken is laying them and she may be struggling there. This has happened a couple of times. Double yolkers two consecutive days. Is that just a random thing or are some chickens more prone to that?
Though as I mentioned we go six normal sized egg today so I think everyone laid. The box she was nesting in had four eggs in it.

Thanks for the links and replies.

Jen

 

[Mountain Peeps]

It very well could be that hen who is laying the double yolks. It can happen to any chicken; it's not common in specific breeds. Check out the link attached again.

Good luck and best wishes!

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/09/double-yolkers-what-causes-double-yolk.html

 

[jjb1953]

One other thing the chicken was doing, my daughter said she and another were rolling the eggs around with their beaks this morning.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

All hens do that, whether broody or not.

 

[jjb1953]

Ok, I am pretty sure something is wrong and am getting concerned.
Red, is still puffing out and other chicken chasing her.
I checked the area where the egg comes out (what is that called?) for a lump or bulge but did not feel anything obvious however the area is quite warm and keeps moving in and out. There is also discharge, which is a clear fluid. She game out of the coup eagerly but then tried to jump up on top of the run (which is 6 ft high)

I will actualy be visiting two farms today that raise chickens on a large scale so I am hoping someone there can help me figure out what this problem is.

Any thing else jump out? Still sound like it could be egg bound ... or infection????


Thanks again

Jen