I have a 1 and 1/2 year old hen who has been behaving oddly. She acted irritable, ruffled feathers and wants to just sit on the next. Not eating or drinking. Vet gave her a dose of antibiotic but did not make a diagnosis. We have her separated from the others. She did lay an egg yesterday after two days.
Hello and welcome to BYC! Sounds like she is broody! She wants to become a momma. They will stay in the nest box, raise their feathers at you, growl or scream at you if you touch them, and when they do come out of the box, they will cluck cluck cluck all over the place. If she isnt setting on fertile eggs, you can either let her get over it, take away the eggs or break her of it. If she is on fertile eggs, get yourself prepared for possible little ones in 3 or so weeks! Some broodies are so determined, they will brood their feet if no eggs are available. Welcome to our flock!
Hello and welcome to BYC! Sounds like she is broody! She wants to become a momma. They will stay in the nest box, raise their feathers at you, growl or scream at you if you touch them, and when they do come out of the box, they will cluck cluck cluck all over the place. If she isnt setting on fertile eggs, you can either let her get over it, take away the eggs or break her of it. If she is on fertile eggs, get yourself prepared for possible little ones in 3 or so weeks! Some broodies are so determined, they will brood their feet if no eggs are available. Welcome to our flock! :-
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! We have to keep her separate from others for five days because of antibiotic. Should we then let her free range Periodically?
Why is she on antibiotics? Broodies will slow way down on the eating and drinking to concentrate on brooding their eggs. If she is not on fertile eggs, it is best to drag broodies out of the box several times a day for food and water, especially in the summer heat. No sense in letting them dehydrate or lose weight if the eggs are duds. She doesnt need to be separated from the others if she is not sick. If she is going to hatch chicks, it is best to give mom and babies their own space.
If you want to break her of broodiness, free ranging can help break them and is also good for her in general.
