Is this unusual behaviour? What is she?

[Craigboy53]

It went down to -5 C last night. The actual coop where the brooder box is located is heated so it never gets colder than -2 C. This morning I went to collect eggs, and the leghorns (named Thing1 and Thing2) had 2 eggs in the brooder box, as usual, but when I opened the run door (not heated) Carmen had laid another egg just inside the run door, and it was frozen solid. Well, at least she’s getting closer......better than out under the bird feeder.
is it possible the Things are bullying her and keeping her from laying in the brooder box? There are two compartments in the brooder, the eggs are found on one side, and they poop in the other side. This picture is obviously from summer. The screened run is now totally enclosed in bubble wrap to keep out snow and wind, but it is not heated.

 

[3KillerBs]

-5C = 25F

That's not cold for a chicken and is unlikely to affect their behavior.

What are the dimensions of your coop?

 

[WindingRoad]

In July 2019, we got four chicks 7 weeks old. Two Leghorns, one which was billed as an Araucana, and a rumpless mystery bird, aptly named Golem, billed as a ‘rumpless mix’.
From the start, Golem did not thrive. She ate, ran with the others, but wasn’t getting much bigger, and died about first week of November. She is the one in the last picture.
The other three grew well and thrived. When Sept came, they started to moult, so we left the supplemental light off, and just left natural light. All went well through the fall, and the girls seemed to have stopped moulting, so the supplemental lighting was activated, coming on early so the girls would get 15 hours light.
Our timing must have been good, as we got one egg two days later (Nov 24) and then started get two per day, from the leghorns.
The third hen (which I don’t think is really an Araucana (please help ID this girl), was not laying any eggs. The leghorns have been giving us about 5 eggs every three days, but still nothing from Carmen. Yesterday, I went to fill the bird feeder (30 feet from the coop), and found a light brown, oval egg sitting on the ground. Was very cold, but not frozen so it couldn’t have been there long. (The girls free range the backyard). Didn’t see Carmen at the time, but it must have been her.
So, my friends.....what kind of bird is Carmen? She has a few feathers on her feet. Is it usual to have one bird not laying? Does the egg look like it might be hers? Why would she lay out in the snow, rather in the nice warm brooder box? Any suggestions as to what I should do, if anything?
Thanks!


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Sometimes new layers don't get the urge soon enough to get into a nest box. I have layers of over a year and the other day I let them out. I looked out a few minutes later and there was a egg. There can be a traffic jam at the door sometimes. Some birds don't know it the want in or out. I've had birds who "always" lay in a nest box lay outside some times.

 

[Craigboy53]

Roosts need to be higher than nests.
Here's an excellent modification to that kind of coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-in-nest-boxes.1134399/page-2#post-17749535

Thanks! This modification may have to wait until spring.

Any thoughts on bullying? This morning there are quite a few blood spots around the coop, on the side of the water container, and Carmen‘s head is definitely been pecked, as I can see feathers out of place. The two leghorns are apparently beating on the ‘odd one out’!
Any suggestions as to what we should do?

 

[Craigboy53]

More space can help...or separate one or both of the bullies...or pinless peepers for the bullies.

Well, more space isn’t possible right now, nor is separation, as we have no other place for a hen.
After searching ‘pinless peepers’ to find out what they are (shades for chickens....who’d a thunk?), I have ordered some to give it a go.
Back in 1981 when I was doing my MBA, we did a case study about a chicken farm, and back then they were putting red contact lenses in the hens’ eyes to reduce bullying. I guess things have progressed from back then!
Thanks!

 

[KelseyBoxer]

Sorry for the loss of your girl. These deaths happen with little warning sometimes.

 

[Weeg]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive, think you can shed some light on her death?
I'm so sorry for you loss, that is heart breaking.
It could have been some kind of reproductive/egg issues, being that her tail was down.
*Hugs and more hugs* I'm sorry for you loss.