Problem with Buff Orphington

[jo4210]

I have a Orphington that began staying inside the nesting box all daylong and refuses to join the other hens and does not eat or drink. I've given her access to feed and water and does not even touch it. Could not figure out what could be wrong. Do chickens become depressed? Could anybody help me out? Thx. Joey

 

[donrae]

She's going broody. Do a search on breaking a broody, there are multiple threads on dealing with this.

 

[aart]

Sounds broody to me too.....
.....does she hiss, growl, fluff up and maybe even try to bite if you try to remove her from the nest?

If you want her to hatch some eggs for you try the the Broody Hen Thread.


If not, break her now...I've got one in a breaker crate, same one I broke last summer:


My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a few bricks right in the coop and I would feed her some watered down crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

 

[jo4210]

You are right on. I followed what the first reply said. She mentioned about using a wire cage set elevated, free of any bedding, damp feed and water for 4 straight days and Walla...she broke the "broody" and did not return to the nesting area for a few days and now started to lay eggs again and assimilated with the other girls. So glad. There are only two of you that posted replies and you are the second one. I am very appreciative of your help. Thanks so much. Joey