So for the last few days my White Plymouth Rock, about 14 months old and nearing her first molt since chickhood, has been sitting in the coop. Whenever I open the side door to see her, she chirps(or warbles?) and puffs up her feathers. Her comb is rather pale as well. I took her out of the pen a couple days ago, only her, leaving the other five hens of the same age behind, and carried her around a bit before setting her down while I waited for my mom to look up what could be wrong with her(we didn't get much). Meanwhile, she hopped down the landscape steps and went to scavenge like normal. She was perfectly happy to be herded back into the pen afterwards. She spends her time sitting in the same exact place as every day, but I think(and hope) she is getting water, or at least she *must* be. She is perfectly fine with me touching her at all times. There are some small feathers scattered around her as well. Lately a hawk has been eyeing them, and they've stopped laying. I was gone all last week, and that's when they stopped according to my family. I have provided her with crushed oyster, within reach. Since it's summer, I haven't been closing them in the big coop at night and they've been sleeping wherever. Some out, some in the small coop originally intended to be a dog house. They don't get closed up in the small coop, since it is so small and it gets crowded, especially with a feeder and mini feeder for the oyster in there. They should be molting next moth, though I think I remember one of them molting early as a chick. I'm really worried for her! If anyone can help, please do.
Don't expect her to eat full meals while brooding, they limit intake so they don't poo on the eggs... Do expect when she leaves the nest (usually once a day for a half hour or so) for her to let loose of the most awful poop imaginable in looks and smell. Best of luck to you, on whatever you decide... to let her brood, or not.
