please help

[GGBEAR]

Can anyone give me any advice one of my hens who is around 7/8 months old was totally fine up until yesterday she then started acting out of character quiet not mingling and roosting a lot. from what ive seen she is eating and drinking fine. Also when I went to pick her up last night to have a look at her she puffed up at me like in a massive ball, she's never done that before she's usually very submissive. This morning she came out but now she gone back in her coop and is sat in nesting box when I opened the box she stood up and puffed up massive at me almost like she's angry???? She layed a egg yesterday but I'm not sure if she's laid today as there are 3 other hens.
Should I be worried?

 

[iwiw60]

Can anyone give me any advice one of my hens who is around 7/8 months old was totally fine up until yesterday she then started acting out of character quiet not mingling and roosting a lot. from what ive seen she is eating and drinking fine. Also when I went to pick her up last night to have a look at her she puffed up at me like in a massive ball, she's never done that before she's usually very submissive. This morning she came out but now she gone back in her coop and is sat in nesting box when I opened the box she stood up and puffed up massive at me almost like she's angry???? She layed a egg yesterday but I'm not sure if she's laid today as there are 3 other hens.
Should I be worried?

Nothing to worry about...your hen has gone broody on you!! Those are the sure signs that she wants to sit on eggs. Do you have a rooster, in other words are your eggs fertile? If so, tuck some under her and then play the waiting game. If no roo, can you get some fertile eggs to put under her?

On the other hand, if you do NOT want a broody hen and want to break her of it here's a page with great info:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=broody+breaker


Me personally? If I had a broody hen I'd be finding some fertile eggs to put under her for sure. Let the hen take over and raise the chicks. I don't ever EVer want to have to go through the brooder-box thing again!! All the best and keep us updated as to what you decide to do!

 

[GGBEAR]

God I don't know the first thing about this part I only got my hens in May if I did get a fertile egg what would the other hens b like with a baby chick and how long is she likely to b like it

 

[nuttyboo]

Do you have a rooster??? The broody will do her job and mother the chicks until around 4-6 weeks

 

[GGBEAR]

No rooster and I don't have any fertile eggs nor do I want them I'm trying to find out how to stop this behavior

 

[nuttyboo]

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=broody+breaker

Great article on how to break broody

 

[GGBEAR]

Yes thank you I've read that but what if I don't have a wire mesh cage what it's talking about???
So worried now when bread they can die

 

[GGBEAR]

OK so I have stopped this bloody hen from getting in the coop to sit in nest box so far so good and she has not bothered trying to even go back to it she has been out all day and from what ive seen she seems to be doing her normal thing to a certain extent but if anyone goes anywhere near her she pufs right up with one of her wings out and starts clucking she's even doing it to certain members of the flock.
I'm not sure if she has laid today and I'm not sure how much she has ate but I'm worried

 

[GGBEAR]

Please note the comment above was supposed to say broody not the other predictive text @_@