Well, I have tried to surf through some issues on the forum here, but have not found anything related to my chicken problem. (Of course there is so very much information I could be missing it.)
Anyways; I have three chickens currently. We had 5, but on January 29th we had a raccoon attach in the coop (this may be relevant?). So we lost two of our girls. They were all hatched last spring, so they are young layers. My current problem is that one of the girls (Orphington) sits in the nesting box all day. We let them free range, but I don't see her out. Every time I go to the coop she seems to be there. My husband and son claim they have seen her out, but I have not. She is in the box (of 3 boxes) that seems to be used for laying eggs. I do not get an egg from her regularly at all. I have to feel around under her and sometimes there is an egg from our Ameracauna - who typically gives us an egg a day for the most part. Our other chicken - RIR - doesn't seem to be laying at all.
My concern is the Orphington that hangs out at the nest. Is she depressed from loosing her mates? It has been a couple weeks now and she just started doing this a couple days ago. Is this what being broody is? Yet she is not even laying eggs regularly and there is not usually an egg under her when she is in the box. Also, when I open the coop or the nesting box door she ruffles her feathers up. I feel under her and she slowly decides to give me a peck on the hand. Not too aggressively though.
Aside from all that, the girls are also more quiet than they used to be. At night I'd lock them up and you'd here them, but now in general they all seem to be a bit quieter.
By the way the other two girls come out every morning. Peck around and have not changed in their behavior.
I have not taken the Orphington out of the box itself, I am watching for her to get out so I can get a hold of her and take a look at her. But from what I can see, she seems okay. Just quiet and nesting all the time.
So any thoughts of my Orphington's behavior would be appreciated. Maybe it is nothing at all. Maybe this is broodiness? Do they change behavior when they molt? When does that take place too?
This is my first flock. I consider myself quite a newbie at all this.
Anyways; I have three chickens currently. We had 5, but on January 29th we had a raccoon attach in the coop (this may be relevant?). So we lost two of our girls. They were all hatched last spring, so they are young layers. My current problem is that one of the girls (Orphington) sits in the nesting box all day. We let them free range, but I don't see her out. Every time I go to the coop she seems to be there. My husband and son claim they have seen her out, but I have not. She is in the box (of 3 boxes) that seems to be used for laying eggs. I do not get an egg from her regularly at all. I have to feel around under her and sometimes there is an egg from our Ameracauna - who typically gives us an egg a day for the most part. Our other chicken - RIR - doesn't seem to be laying at all.
My concern is the Orphington that hangs out at the nest. Is she depressed from loosing her mates? It has been a couple weeks now and she just started doing this a couple days ago. Is this what being broody is? Yet she is not even laying eggs regularly and there is not usually an egg under her when she is in the box. Also, when I open the coop or the nesting box door she ruffles her feathers up. I feel under her and she slowly decides to give me a peck on the hand. Not too aggressively though.
Aside from all that, the girls are also more quiet than they used to be. At night I'd lock them up and you'd here them, but now in general they all seem to be a bit quieter.
By the way the other two girls come out every morning. Peck around and have not changed in their behavior.
I have not taken the Orphington out of the box itself, I am watching for her to get out so I can get a hold of her and take a look at her. But from what I can see, she seems okay. Just quiet and nesting all the time.
So any thoughts of my Orphington's behavior would be appreciated. Maybe it is nothing at all. Maybe this is broodiness? Do they change behavior when they molt? When does that take place too?
This is my first flock. I consider myself quite a newbie at all this.