sick or broody?

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

has anyone of you had a hen you couldn't figure out if she was sick or broody?

 

[azelgin]

Nope. Broody hens are angry pancakes. When disturbed, they flatten out, puff up and growl. Sick chickens may fluff up, but its all the time and they don't growl.

 

[CarolinaHen]

Nope. Broody hens are angry pancakes. When disturbed, they flatten out, puff up and growl. Sick chickens may fluff up, but its all the time and they don't growl.

"angry pancakes"

Best way I've ever heard a broody described! I will certainly be using this description from now on!

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

~I have a almost 10 month old Jersey Giant that has always laid well never no problems. She has all of a sudden not laying, slow going, not eating much, poops a lot of times but small amounts sometimes then big ones, they are mostly green and yellow any where from runny to gooey. she is pecking at her feathers a lot even the bottom of her foot but nothing is there. she isn't eating good, keep going back and forth to the nest she has slept on it twice. I let everyone out this morning I sat her out she ate a little grass took a drink of water and went back to the coop and is sitting in there not on the nest. someone told me she sounded broody but I don't know because she is puffin up and squaking and all that stuff. they said some hens don't do like that. she is a little more clucky whn the others come around. I was worried she was egg bound. I felt her tummy don't feel anything I have soaked her in prob 3 warm baths mineral oil in her bottom. I tried to do the exam to feel an egg but when I touched her vent and put my finger in just a smige she acted like she wanted to squat down and get something out. im confused I don't know what the problem is. maybe she is just under the weather and im worried for nothing but I am very worried.

 

[CarolinaHen]

~I have a almost 10 month old Jersey Giant that has always laid well never no problems. She has all of a sudden not laying, slow going, not eating much, poops a lot of times but small amounts sometimes then big ones, they are mostly green and yellow any where from runny to gooey. she is pecking at her feathers a lot even the bottom of her foot but nothing is there. she isn't eating good, keep going back and forth to the nest she has slept on it twice. I let everyone out this morning I sat her out she ate a little grass took a drink of water and went back to the coop and is sitting in there not on the nest. someone told me she sounded broody but I don't know because she is puffin up and squaking and all that stuff. they said some hens don't do like that. she is a little more clucky whn the others come around. I was worried she was egg bound. I felt her tummy don't feel anything I have soaked her in prob 3 warm baths mineral oil in her bottom. I tried to do the exam to feel an egg but when I touched her vent and put my finger in just a smige she acted like she wanted to squat down and get something out. im confused I don't know what the problem is. maybe she is just under the weather and im worried for nothing but I am very worried.

That doesn't sound like she is broody to me. Even my girls that are "thinking about" going broody just sit on the nest and growl or squawk when you come near. Maybe she is just practicing going broody. Leave her for a while and see if she sits back on the nest.

 

[azelgin]

Did she poop in the nest, when she slept in it for the night? A broody hen will not poop in her nest. When she gets off to do her thing, you'll wonder who's dog got in the pen and left that thing.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

Did she poop in the nest, when she slept in it for the night? A broody hen will not poop in her nest. When she gets off to do her thing, you'll wonder who's dog got in the pen and left that thing.

let me go check real quick

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

ok no I didn't see her poop in there. I know her poop its green and yellow.

 

[azelgin]

ok no I didn't see her poop in there.

She might be going broody. Chickens fill up on food, before getting on the roost for the night. The do a lot of pooping, and farting all night long. Broodies will hold it, as their instincts tell them to not soil the nest and contaminate the eggs.
It's possible she is in the early stages of becoming broody. You'll know, one way, or the other, in the next couple of days. I've got one broody, that's been on a dozen eggs for the last week (we moved her to the broody coop). Two others, that think they want to be, but haven't made the commitment to stay put, when we open the nest box lid. They protest, but run off. Probably because we usually toss them out and won't let them hatch any chicks. They're angry pancakes, but don't push the issue.

If you haven't run across this site, you might find it of interest. It helps relieve a lot of concerns about what normal chicken droppings might look like.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/?topic=17568.0

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

none of the poop pics really look like hers. what should I do at this point?