Silkie acting strange

[Christine12]

Hii am quite new at keeping chickens. I have 5 six month old silkie hens which I hatched from incubator. They started laying eggs over a month ago and between them I get 2-5 eggs a day. They usually pay their eggs before 2pm. They are ready for bed in their coop about 4.30pm, being winter and dark nights. I always give them a bit of supper about 3.30pm and today I was surprised one was in the coop, they usually only go in to lay or sleep. I noticed she was growly a bit and so left her thinking I would check her at 4.30pm as the rest go in the coop. At 4.30pm she was still there but the other 4 wouldn't go in, she was a growling a bit at them. She appeared a little spaced out and I know they can do this so I brought her in the house to take a look at her. Putting her on the floor she walked around fine and even had a bit of food. As she appeared well I put her back in the coop. I have just checked and she is still in same place one of the nesting boxes whereas normally she would sleep with the others the other side of the coop and as they do on top of each other. Does anyone know what is going on here. There is no egg underneath her. I am worried she will get cold not being with the others, it is a very cold night tonight. Has anybody with experience have any idea what could be wrong, has she now become broody but with no egg? I am worried what to do. Thanks

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Sounds just like a broody hen if you move her to the roosts in the dark does she try and get back to the nest box? There's many threads on here for methods of breaking a broody!

 

[Christine12]

Thanks. She went straight back to nest. I am just worried she will get cold not piling up with the others as normal. If she gets cold overnight do you think she will go back to her flick the other side of coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

She sounds broody. You need to decide if you want to let her hatch, let her ride it out (which I don't recommend), or break her of it.

To break a broody: Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

 

[Christine12]

She sounds broody. You need to decide if you want to let her hatch, let her ride it out (which I don't recommend), or break her of it.

To break a broody: Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

Thanks. I have a dog cage. However my concern is it is very cold outside at the moment. Last night as she was still on nest and wasn't piling up with the flock as usual, I was concerned she would get too cold although coop is well bedded. I brought her in the house and put her in the cage overnight. This morning after I had let others out from coop to run I closed coop and let her in, she had a bit of food and water then stood outside the coop door refusing to leave. I noticed the others wanted to get in no doubt to lay eggs as they do each morning before noon. I opened the door and the broody one Tess got her way as I wasn't sure having her in the house which is warm would be good for her etc. Can I bring her in the house in the cage until she stops being broody? Perhaps letting her in run 15 mins a day with others and then bringing her back in. I am the proverbial mother hen and would appreciate any advice. If input the dog cage in run during day I think she may get too cold as she can't move around or go in coop as she normally would obviously. As you may know silkies do, according to some articles struggle with cold a little bit more than other chickens?? If it was spring or summer I wouldn't be too concerned but night times here UK are freezing at the moment. Thank you

 

[aart]

However my concern is it is very cold outside at the moment.

How cold is "very cold"?
Will the crate fit into the coop?
That's the best place for it....or out in the run during the day if it's protected from precipitation and wind.
Oh, silkie......hmm not sure how to handle that.

 

[Christine12]

How cold is "very cold"?
Will the crate fit into the coop?
That's the best place for it....or out in the run during the day if it's protected from precipitation and wind.
Oh, silkie......hmm not sure how to handle that.

At the moment it is 1 degree centigrade going to -2 degrees overnight. The run is covered and unless rain was blowing it, it is quite dry as has 12" perspex around bottom of caging.

 

[aart]

Will the crate fit into the coop?

 

[Silkies and succulents]

At the moment it is 1 degree centigrade going to -2 degrees overnight. The run is covered and unless rain was blowing it, it is quite dry as has 12" perspex around bottom of caging.

The cold doesn’t seem to bother my silkies. But Ive never left them out over night, Sooooo.....?? Broody hens raise their body temp to keep the eggs warm, So she could keep herself warm over night But if its going to be windy or rainy over night you might think about bringing her in the coop in a dog cage or some thing. you could stick a pack of frozen fruit/veggies, an ice pack or some ice cubes under her maybe to cool her off to help break the broodiness. Ive only had one of my birds go broody and it was in the summer... in 90° F weather and she wouldn’t break from being broody so I put an ice pack under her. Make sure she also has access to food and water because broody hens won’t leave their nest to drink and eat and that some times leads to weight loss. Or malnutrition (don’t tell her but my broody could have done with losing a few pounds another things is my hen didn’t dust bathe when she was broody so you should check for mites and lice to make sure she doe ‘t have any if she stays broody.

 

[Christine12]

It would but not sure if could elevate off floor. Although I haven't been watching her all day on the nest, not sure if she has gone out for water or food, would be difficult to put water in coop for her as it would get spilt and can't risk coop getting wet as silkies not good getting wet. I gave her some grain scattering round her this morning, not sure if she ate it or the others did. Also even though two went in today with her there to lay their eggs, they appear apphrensive to go in coop and are standing outside by the door wondering whether it is worth going in. She is growling a bit but I can pick her up, she doesn't try to bite me. I could put her in a colder room in my house?