something is wrong...

[CrazyChickenMomma]

Apologies for the lack of info but I am brand new to this...

I have a chicken that was too young to lay eggs when I got her, then she started laying one egg a day about 2 or 3 weeks ago, they were small in size, but so is she. Eleven days ago she wouldn't come out of her nest and there was no egg that day. The next day she still wouldn't come out of her nest. I offered her food and water and she took a tiny amount but seemed frightened and would puff herself up real big whenever I opened the door to her nesting area. The 3rd day she still hadn't come out and still wasn't laying eggs and then she refused my offers of food and water. I pulled the whole nest out with her in it and put her on the floor of the coop next to the water...she ran up the ramp and got into another nesting box. It's been 11 days now and she won't come out unless I take her out and there have been no eggs. I have tried lubricating the vent area on two occasions and also did a digital check and could not feel an egg. A few days ago I put her in a tub of warm water with a towel over her back. She sat in there quite comfy for about 5 minutes, hopped out, pooped two large, well formed turds (it looked like dog poo) and then she scratched around in the coop and dusted herself and ate and drank and ran back up the ramp.I thought she must have been constipated and I was hopeful that she was back to normal but no such luck. She still is not eating, drinking, or coming out of her nest. She has lost some feathers on her chest as well.

I have an older, Rhode Island Red (I think) that is such a cool chicken! She follows me everywhere, loves my dog, lays a big, beautiful egg everyday, and goes into the coop when it's dusk. I don't want her to catch something from the other chicken if it is contagious and I really need some advice on what to do to help my little chicken!

Thanks!

 

[Kittymomma]

Is she only going poo once every day or two? She sounds like she's broody. What breed is she?

 

[Orpstralope]

She's gone BROODY! I'm guessing...wants to hatch some eggs really bad.

 

[CrazyChickenMomma]

I don't know what breed she is. I will look up broody, that at least gives me a starting point, I've never heard the word. When my other chicken lays an egg, the sick chicken moves over to that nest and sits on it. Is she maybe not sick???

 

[sgtmom52]

Yep ~ sounds like she is broody. She is wanting to hatch babies! Broody hens will sit in a nest box on eggs, rocks, golf balls or nothing at all. They will puff up their feathers & may growl or peck at you if you disturb them. She may do this for weeks until she quits. I have a Buff Orp that goes broody about 3 or 4 times a year for about a month at a time. Just make sure your girl has access to food and water as they tend to thin out a little during this. Also broodies do pull their chest feathers out. If you can give her some fertile eggs she may hatch some babies for you!

 

[WingingIt]

Yep, she's gone broody. She wants to sit on some fertile eggs and hatch out babies. A broody can be VERY stubborn, as you're learning. She's not sick, she just wants to sit on those eggs and keep them warm until they hatch. When they are broody they often just come off the nest once a day to eat/drink/poop - then back they go.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Koolduck]

Put some fertile eggs under her so you can become "CrazyChickenGrandmomma"!

 

[CrazyChickenMomma]

Thank-you everyone for the speedy and wonderful information...I'm sitting here smiling with relief and laughing at the CrazyChickenGrandmomma suggestion. Everything you have described as brooding is exactly what she is doing. I am thrilled to have found this site! (and I owe my poor little chicken an apology for putting my fingers where they shouldn't be and plunging her into a bathtub)

 

[Kittymomma]

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[CorralitosSunflower]

Quote:

That is exactly what I was thinkin! You just may owe her an apology, lol.
Sounds like she is very broody. One of my chickens did the same thing, I had only had her about a month and she had just started laying (I collected everyday) and all of a sudden she wouldn't come out of the nesting box to free range anymore, puffed up and growled at me whenever I went in there. I just didn't realize they would set when there were no eggs to set on and since she stopped laying there was no chance for her to hatch anything. I thought she was mentally unstable for awhile prior to realizing she was actually broody. It was my first experience and next time I will know it when it happens again. So, are you gonna be a grandma?