My hen is acting weird....

[Ragna]

My hen is a road island red and she doesn't run to me with the same excitement after her sister passed... I have baby chickens I spend a lot of time with snuggling but not my road island red because she has too much energy... I still spend time with her outside and she used to always without fail dart as fast as she could to me... She still does it sometimes but she's been more reserved and distant... She hasn't started laying yet but she's approaching that point I think. She's been kind of hiding a lot and won't run or call back to me the same way... I don't see any eggs anywhere... Nor does she become submissive when I go to touch her... Her comb is occasionally really really bright red... Could she be laying and I'm just not realizing or finding them?? Could that be why she's acting different? She usually runs after me, Chases me around the yard or calls out to me when I call her... She still does those things but less often so I'm worried something is wrong or she's unhappy about something..

 

[Aapomp831]

Maybe she is grieving?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Bright red comb probably means.If she isn’t squatting anymore,I remember you mentioning lots of roosters in your area?Maybe the sound of them is making her not submissive anymore as when I added a rooster in my hens stopped squatting,or maybe she has been naughty and inviting boys over and you haven’t noticed?

She very well could be laying and your not looking int the right spots.As chickens grow their not gonna constantly stick to you like
Glue.My chickens generally don’t sit around with me unless it’s relaxing time,usually after eating a meal or in the coldest/hottest part of the day.Other then that you can just forage and talk with them. Do you have a coop with nesting boxes?

 

[JedJackson]

They change as they age, just like human kids. She's probably a little wary because of losing her friend and a little secretive and quiet because she's either laying or preparing to lay. If she seems healthy, then I wouldn't worry too much. Probably just growing pains. It might be a good idea to get some fake eggs in the nest you want her to lay in.

 

[MROO]

Maybe she is grieving?

Give her a mirror or two - one inside and one outside the coop. Chickens are very social creatures, so having a "friend" again may make the difference for you both. I'd also make sure she can see and hear the babies. Not only will that assure that there are other chickens around, but it will make integration that much easier.

 

[Ragna]

Bright red comb probably means.If she isn’t squatting anymore,I remember you mentioning lots of roosters in your area?Maybe the sound of them is making her not submissive anymore as when I added a rooster in my hens stopped squatting,or maybe she has been naughty and inviting boys over and you haven’t noticed?

She very well could be laying and your not looking int the right spots.As chickens grow their not gonna constantly stick to you like
Glue.My chickens generally don’t sit around with me unless it’s relaxing time,usually after eating a meal or in the coldest/hottest part of the day.Other then that you can just forage and talk with them. Do you have a coop with nesting boxes?

Yes the roosters aren't across the street they're maybe like ... Behind the house across the street. I never hear them unless someone points them out. Honestly I don't think she was too interested in the roosters. She is extremely flock loyal to me and my other small chickens. I have a coop but she actually... Kind of hates it so I mostly let her run in the yard. Now there is a place she loves to hide where it's cool and conviently hard for me to get into. I have to low crawl to get in it. It's a huge crater under our back deck. She spends most of her time there but I haven't seen her sitting on any eggs while she is out there. She moves around and then finds somewhere else in the dirt to dig up and lay in. I don't have any designated nesting boxes mostly because I knew she wouldn't be laying for awhile when I got her. Are there any other signs I could be able to use to tell if she is laying or not?? Her comb has definitely grown and become darker red. My girl is growing up :'(

It wasn't until a few days ago I noticed her being a bit more distant and not responding to my calls or continuing to hide after I called her... Sometimes shed call back to me but stay where was laying in the dirt i thought maybe she was laying but I find her in so many different locations that I kinda doubted that she was laying for that reason but I don't know

 

[Ragna]

Give her a mirror or two - one inside and one outside the coop. Chickens are very social creatures, so having a "friend" again may make the difference for you both. I'd also make sure she can see and hear the babies. Not only will that assure that there are other chickens around, but it will make integration that much easier.

That's a great tip actually because I always kept her with her sister before she passed and it wasn't until then she started jumping at my window always trying to get me to be outside with her or be inside with me. She is only ever alone during my work hours. When I get home I spend about an hour with her and I check on her a lot. We forage together and all that good stuff. She really does love me but I think she may be getting a little too lonely. I can't keep her with the small chickens because even though she can't peck without her beak she likes to terrorize those little girls

 

[TheTwoRoos]

It’s not about being “loyal” but if the roosters are within atleast Twenty-thirty grey away and their able to actually get to oen another,she most definitely will likely be courting with the boys.Squatting ,red combs and wattles are pretty obvious signs of laying/beginning to lay.

 

[Ragna]

It’s not about being “loyal” but if the roosters are within atleast Twenty-thirty grey away and their able to actually get to oen another,she most definitely will likely be courting with theboys.Squatting ,red combs and wattles are pretty obvious signs of laying/beginning to lay.

Her comb looks faded now for some reason. I brought her inside because she was almost like... Panting when she was under the shade. She didn't necessarily want the water I gave her but her mouth was wide open and when I brought her to the AC she stopped. I don't know why she is acting so weird. It's like she doesn't want to be outside... But I don't necessarily want her inside. She seems calm just standing there in the cage next to me....

 

[Ragna]

It’s not about being “loyal” but if the roosters are within atleast Twenty-thirty grey away and their able to actually get to oen another,she most definitely will likely be courting with the boys.Squatting ,red combs and wattles are pretty obvious signs of laying/beginning to lay.

I guess it is pretty hot outside but do you think introducing more bigger birds back into out flock may help her? Do you think maybe she's just lonely??