Lethargic, scratching beak on ground, ruffling wings

[alessadry]

My white chicken last night was in the box where she lays eggs not wanting to move. At first I thought she was dead. But she reacted when I touched her . Concerned she was overheated due to the heat wave, I wet her and placed some ice under her before closing the coop for the night. This morning I was concerned to find her dead, but she was still there. I have to go to work so I know if she stayed there all day without drinking she would die, so I moved her from it. She just laid on the floor. I startled her and she started walking, drank a tiny sip from a puddle and then ate some boiled rice.

She is walking but she is complaining a lot and repeatedly scratching her beak on the ground as if something is bothering her and ruffling her wings (this could be because I wet her). She pooped, and I looked her vent and no sign of egg stuck. I have to go to work so not sure what I can do to encourage her to drink more. I gave rice, a bit of banana but wished i had watermelon. Any ideas what may be wrong with her? Right now, she looks OK other than talking a lot and scratching her beak.. and not drinking for a chicken that was laying in a box from late last night..

Note: we give them grit often..

 

[alessadry]

Came home from work, she is still alive but back to the coop in her nesting place. I got her out of it and again was just laying there on the floor and so I sprayed her with water to get her wet and she moved under the deck and she drank like 7 sips of water. She is still scratching her beak on the ground and acting a weird, vocalizing more than usual and not looking comfortable. Anybody have ideas why a hen would act this way? Could she have ingested something that is stuck somewhere in her beak? But then would this make her want to stay alone in her nesting place all day long? She ate this morning boiled rice, now drank and she pooped this morning. I got her watermelon and will give it tonight.

 

[alessadry]

I found this message a while back and people are saying broody hens act this way? Do broody hens ruffle their wings and scratch their beaks on the ground just as a way of being grumpy? I find it odd. Here is the thread for anybody in my same situation:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/192901/hen-rubbing-beak-on-ground

 

[gskolnic]

Alyssandry,
One of my hens is exhibiting exactly the behavior you described three years ago. Do you remember what the cause and/or cure was for this bird? I would greatly appreciate any information you might provide.
Sincerely,
Gary