Mouthy Black Australorp

[Sweetest]

I can't figure this girl out. We have a flock of 13 hens and 4 ducks. We had another BA, but she was killed by a puppy. The remaining BA we've named Madea. Madea is usually happy just bopping around the yard with the other chickens (we free-range them when we're home). She goes exploring with all of the other hens, and I think she's the only one who isn't bossed around by the ducks. She's not particularly friendly (she doesn't come running when she sees us), but occasionally we can sneak up on her and pick her up. She doesn't peck or scratch or flap to get down...just kind of waits until you've put her down again, then runs away.

I'm not sure if she's laying, even though she's 24 weeks as of 9/19. Isolating her to find out would just stress her out, and then she wouldn't lay anyway. She has a peculiar behavior that we can't figure out. She walks around the yard for hours at a time screaming her head off. It's kind of like she's calling for someone and can't find them. The only time I've ever heard a chicken yell like this is when one got stuck in the garden and we were walking away (smart chicken to yell for us though!). It almost sounds like she's straining to get an egg out, but it doesn't feel like she has an egg inside of her. And I've never heard a chicken strain to get an egg out in my life...ours just jump out of the box and sing after they're done.

Can anyone gives us some insight on what this poor girl is doing or looking for? (The other kind of warbling squawk in the background when the Madea is on the top of the stairs is our broody RIR...she's mad that I took the eggs from her this morning)

 

[Sweetest]

Addition: definitely sure she's laying. I came upon her in the almost finished coop and she was yelling at me. So I backed off, waited about five minutes, and went back in. She was sitting on a tiny peach colored egg.

 

[rojororeo]

I would venture to say that her mouthiness has absolutely nothing to do with eggs. We have an unidentified black hen, I think black star, maybe Australorp, cross? Who knows...
But she is the whiniest creature I have ever met!!! She is rather friendly, is head hen of her little flock when we bought them.... but as much as she comes up to say hello, and even be petted, you better be prepared to listen to her complain about her day!!
My other hens all cheep, chirp, bleep, all that good stuff. Nope, this girl no matter the time, day whatever, she just whines 24/7 to talk to you. It is pretty funny if you ask me, since when I go in there I make a running commentary back to her as I go about my chicken chores and she goes about her complaining about how the other hens and the rooster wronged her, lol.

And congrats on the egg!

 

[Sweetest]

LOL thanks! Good to know I'm not the only one with a mouthy hen!!

 

[rojororeo]

Nope.