One hen will not leave the coop. Is she sick? Laying eggs?

[cupman]

To start my chickens are roughly 13 weeks old. I have a barred rock hen and rooster and the hen never wants to leave the coop. She never had problems leaving the coop before, she would leave in the morning with the rest of them. The past 3 or 4 days though she has stayed inside and won't come out... I've only seen her leave on her own once, the other times I had to motivate her. Is she sick? Is it possible her body is trying to tell her she needs to lay an egg? She's only 13 weeks so I kind of don't think that's the case but out of all my hens she is the most mature, biggest one with the most developed comb. Any ideas guys?

 

[ryanhodapp]

can you see in her coop? is she roosting, layimg in nesting box? Does she look sick, runny eyes, walking ok? mites so her legs are sore? so many possibilities
is she eating and drinking?
try to observe as much as possible.

hopefully someone else will have some advice.

 

[cupman]

Shes roosting. She seems to move fine when I kind of give her motivation and poke her gently. I haven't had any problems with mites yet. As far as eating and drinking I don't think so because the food and water are outside of the coop in the covered run. As far as I know she has gone outside of the coop every day, but it's usually late in the day and I assume it's just to eat and drink and then go back to bed. I'll go outside and give her a piece of lettuce or something.


UPDATE: Well I went outside to observe her and she was just dust bathing in a little spot I made for them with 2 of the other hens. She had come outside on her own. I threw out some treats for the girls, some bread that was getting a little old and some lettuce I bought at the store, she went wild. They all did. I watched for a few more minutes and she was full of life, walkin around with the other chickens happy as can be. I'm dumbfounded, I thought there was something wrong with her. Maybe I'm just a little too worrysome. Thanks.