Sick hen MIA???

[1hotchickymama]

When we went to put the chicken away night before last one of my hens(Oreo) did not look so well. She had the "penguin" stance and there was a pile of pooh/pee on the ground where here rear end was and also in one of the nesting boxes in the coup. We had to physically pick her up and carry her to the coop. Very unusual because none of our chicken with let you pick them up so easily. The next morning my husband opened the coop as usual and she walked out. Now my husband isn't very observant sometimes so needless to say he didn't notice if she still appeared sick or had any trouble walking or not. When I called him later yesterday morning to see how she was doing he couldn't find her. The kids and I looked and looked when we got home, I even waiting much longer before closing up the coop last night but she is now nowhere to be found? We have an extra coup which is always open that she could have gone in had she come home after we closed up last night, but it was still empty this morning. No trace of poor little Oreo anywhere??

 

[dawg53]

The "penguin" stand is normally a hen trying to lay an egg, she may have been eggbound. There may be possibility she's found a good hiding spot to lay the egg somewhere. She couldve laid the egg and possibly flown up in a tree or bush for the night. Then there are other possibilities; she may have been taken by a predator or she went off and died somewhere due to egg impactation.

 

[1hotchickymama]

My day just got brighter!! My husband called an Oreo just showed up out of nowhere!! Yay!!

I was totally thinking she had gone off and died somewhere. I had the hubby be sure to mix some oyster shell in the feed as evidently he hasn't been giving it to them.

I'm a little confused about the oyster shell thing tho. I know you're not supposed to give it to chicks that are not laying yet because it is bad for their kidney's but what about roosters or hens that have stopped laying? They are all eating the same food, except our chicks are kept separate from everyone still.

 

[1hotchickymama]

It would seem my excitement was short lived. By the time I got home from work she was gone again so we had to lock up the main coop without her once more. My husband just found her hiding DEEP in a hedges at the edge of a big bank. Maybe she is sitting on eggs? Won't move let alone come out and hisses at my husband when he goes near. She is so tucked in we can't get in there enough to get our hands around her to pick her up. It is so dark out right now and I'm terrified of snakes in the dark or something while I'm on the ground down there or I might slip down the hill trying to get her. So I guess my plan is to wait until she comes out tomorrow and grab her to put her in the extra coop. Then I will try to get the eggs out and put them in there with her. Hopefully all will be well tonight, we live in an extremely rural area but I think she is far enough in there something would have to know she is there. Crossing fingers and toes!

So if we are able to move her and the eggs tomorrow, do you think the eggs will be okay? I'm more concerned with her safety than the eggs but it would be sweet to see her actually hatch eggs, this would be our first time. Oh by the way she is a Light Braum I believe.

 

[klmclain1]

I'm guessing both she and the eggs will be fine!

 

[dawg53]

It would seem my excitement was short lived. By the time I got home from work she was gone again so we had to lock up the main coop without her once more. My husband just found her hiding DEEP in a hedges at the edge of a big bank. Maybe she is sitting on eggs? Won't move let alone come out and hisses at my husband when he goes near. She is so tucked in we can't get in there enough to get our hands around her to pick her up. It is so dark out right now and I'm terrified of snakes in the dark or something while I'm on the ground down there or I might slip down the hill trying to get her. So I guess my plan is to wait until she comes out tomorrow and grab her to put her in the extra coop. Then I will try to get the eggs out and put them in there with her. Hopefully all will be well tonight, we live in an extremely rural area but I think she is far enough in there something would have to know she is there. Crossing fingers and toes!

So if we are able to move her and the eggs tomorrow, do you think the eggs will be okay? I'm more concerned with her safety than the eggs but it would be sweet to see her actually hatch eggs, this would be our first time. Oh by the way she is a Light Braum I believe.

That explains it. She has gone broody and wants to be alone to hatch her eggs. She might set on them once you get the eggs in a nest in the coop, hopefully. One of my Light Brahmas is acting kinda of broody as well. I dont need that at this time and I'll break her from it. Good luck with yours.

 

[1hotchickymama]

Well Oreo is one P***ed off mama! We moved her and found she was sitting 15 eggs!! She wont sit on the eggs after the move, in fact she dumped over the entire nest box and a few of them cracked. She hasn't sat on them all day so I figured they were bad. I took them out and put 3 fresh fertile eggs in there from our other chickens, she dumped the box again! I think she thinks that her eggs are still in the bush and is trying to get out to go back. She is running around in the coop making lots of noise. Guess I could have let her stay where she was only its going to rain ALOT tomorrow and they all would have been sitting in water. Oh well, a few would have been cute but not 15!

@dawg53, good luck with yours! How do you break them besides keep taking away the eggs? Will she lay and sit more if I leave her in the coop for awhile or will she eventally give it up?

 

[dawg53]

I'll place her in a cage away from the others in the garage for a week. More stubborn ones will require more time in the cage. Dont forget to provide food and water.