Odd behaviour?

[sunflour]

It was supposed to storm today and did get a little bit cloudy and dark, during the day. It stormed during the night but I brought my chicken inside the house. But Fluffy was acting like that during the day when it was sunny. If it is hormones, what does this change mean?

I doubt the weather explains it. Mine love storms, it brings the bugs in to them.
When they mature and the estrogen surges, they can act a little weird before egg is laid for the day. They can be fussy, finicky like teenagers.
But the grass is always greener, and maybe she sees something she wants to explore?

Don't know how tall your fence is, but if you have concerns she may go over, add something to increase the height even temporarily til this phase passes. Someone on another thread added garden bamboo on top of their fence and it worked for them.

 

[senorita05]

My fence is over 2m tall. So I didn't think it was an issue.

I'm hoping she gets over it soon. I have noticed her crawl into one corner. Initially I thought it was because she was looking for food there because there are plants there and she is looking for food. But now I think she is looking for a place to lay her eggs.

 

[sunflour]

Broody behavior is quite strange. Could explain all you are seeing. If you haven't experienced it, the first thing you notice is a change in attitude, then ruffling of feathers and then sitting on one spot all day.

 

[senorita05]

I don't think there has been a change in attitude. Maybe a little bit of the ruffling of feathers but definitely no sitting in one spot at a time. She just likes walking around my backyard and exploring. She was alone for a bit because I thought I had 2 chickens along with her but turns out they were roosters. So it took me a while to find her a playmate. She got really fond of exploring during that time. She runs around with my other chicken, Hazel-nugget (odd name, I know). Though, now that I think about it, there is one part of my yard that I do see her sitting in more often than not and that is in the pumpkin patch. Could this be a sign?

 

[sunflour]

Chickens have such diverse personalities, whoever can really figure them out? That's what makes raising them so interesting.

 

[senorita05]

I feel frustrated because I don't know what she wants She has become even more vocal than usual, so I think she is going to lay and then nothing. I'm literally going outside every 15 minutes to check on her and make sure she is staying within the boundary. It's becoming slightly impractical, but I don't know what else to do Does anyone have any tips on how to take care of broody hens? I have never had a broody hen before. She is supposed to be a Cochin-Bantam if that is any help. Any advice will be welcome.

 

[senorita05]

Anyone?

 

[toynutz]

Does she have a safe place to lay her eggs? Maybe she's looking for a special spot and that's why she's so vocal... telling you something's just not right. You might have to make a nest for her that she likes and wants to raise babies in. How long has she been been laying?

 

[senorita05]

I was hoping to bring her up like a hen I had before. She would let me know when she was ready to lay and I would bring her inside to her laying spot. I have put a nest outside but I don't think she likes it. Both times that she has laid, it has been coincidence that I was there. I was wondering how to create an ideal nest ? Fluffly has probably been laying at most a week now.

 

[toynutz]

Fluffy is still trying to figure out this new egg-laying thing. She probably doesn't know what her ideal nest is like yet. It sounds like your other hen was special in the way she laid her eggs and that might not be the way Fluffy will want to lay hers. You can give her different types of nests with different materials in each... like a basket with pine shavings or a box with straw, or whatever you have handy. Put them in a safe spot and make sure she knows where they are, and what they are for (put a fake egg in them). I'm new to raising chickens but from what I've read, I think it's better to wait until they are closer to a year old before letting them go broody. Maybe Bantams are different, I don't know... but there are lots of helpful people and posts on here when Fluffy gets to that point. Good luck!