Sick Chicken? Need advice please!

[IslaBean]

I’m concerned about my one and half year old hen named Pearl. Two days ago she was on the bottom of the roosting ladder (I have a ladder with four roosting posts, the hens go in the top, and the pullets are below them). The next day when I went to put them away at dusk, all the girls were in their places, but Pearl was in a nesting box. This morning she was still there. I hadn’t collected the eggs for a couple days, so there were about 12 eggs in the nest. (All my hens use the same nesting box even though they have four) I assumed she had turned broody and that’s why she was still there. When I’d approach her she’d lift up her feathers so that she was all puffed up. I moved one of the eggs underneath her and she pushed it back under. I decided to remove all the eggs, she didn’t seem to care that I removed all of them. After they were all gone she continued to sit in the nest. Two hours later, I decided to pick her up. I moved her to a different part of the coop and she went right to the food and ate for a few minutes. However, she still returned to the empty nest. I would think she was just broody, however, her sleeping on the bottom rung of the roosting ladder doesn’t make sense. Does anyone know what’s going on with my little Pearl? Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

She sounds broody to me as well. A broody will sit whether or not there are eggs. Look for a bare chest where she has pulled out some of her feathers to sit on eggs. Broodies when removed from a nest will walk around clucking and holding their tail up in an upside down V shape as well. They tend to have a large smelly greenish yellow brown dropping ehen they are removed from the nest first thing in the morning.

 

[happylittlehens]

It sounds like you have a broody hen. I have an Orpington that goes broody often. I throw her out if the nesting box and she’ll go right back to it. After a few times of throwing her out, she’ll stop being broody. She even fluffed up and hissed at me once!

 

[Eggcessive]

I use a broody pen on the ground or wire dog crate with food and water for 5 days with no bedding. It helps if there is room for a roost, since they will use it. I also feed a little cooked egg daily with their feed for some protein and to get them eating. A handful of scratch will keep them busy as well. This past week I have a stubborn hen who has been in the broody pen for about 7 days, and keeps running back to her nest box.