Strange behavior in one of my chickens

[Donna Leigh]

One of my rhode island reds has started acting differently. Instead of sleelping on the roost with her 5 siblings, she has started sleeping in the nesting box. Also, her comb seems to be a little bit droopy. During the day, she displays normal behavior, eating normally, etc. I am still getting one or two eggs a day, but don't know from who. My Ameracauna and rhode island white both molted a month or so ago. These chickens are about 19 mos. old, and none of them molted last year and continued to lay throughout the year. Could the red's behavior be the start of molting?
Any ideas about this is appreciated.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

Most likely going through a molt but Keep an eye on her for any further symptoms of illness, but she's probably just fine.

 

[azygous]

The symptoms you describe aren't enough to make a diagnosis. What I would do is discourage nest sleeping by blocking it off at night. Then observe this hen and see what happens.

To determine molt, look on the back of the neck or back in front of her tail for pin feathers popping through her skin. If you see those, there's a good chance she's starting to molt. Not all chickens observe the fall, early winter schedule for molt. Some insist on being on their own time table.

Watch for signs this hen is sick, though. While a drop-off in appetite can signal molt, it can also signal a hen that isn't feeling well. Watch for signs of detachment from the flock, standing on the outskirts, avoiding the flock, holding her tail down low and flat. If you see that, you'll need to try to figure out what could be making her sick and treat it, if possible.

Don't rule out a hen that may be bullied. Molt often is accompanied by a personality change. The hen may become withdrawn that is normally assertive, while others may become irritable and take it out on the others. But if the hen is being bullied away from the feeder, they can become weak and withdrawn from hunger. This can appear as a symptom of illness when the treatment needed is feeding the hen to gain her strength back and protecting her until her self confidence returns.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Are you sure she is actually eating?
I have seen a hen act like she was eating but found she was not consuming much of anything.

Check her crop at night and again before they eat in the morning to make sure food is going in and being digested.

Can you weigh her?

Maybe weigh yourself then again while holding her to get a weight.

Definitely keep an eye and post anything odd so folks can help.

 

[feathermaid]

Also, what about the possibility of being broody? Does she leave the nest box during the day?

Or maybe she is being bullied off the roost at night. Even after a this whole time of everyone seeming to get along, sometimes as birds get older, they just want more space. Be sure there's at least 12-20 linear inches per bird on the roosts.
How Much Room Do Chickens Need
If there is enough space, and she's still social and eating and drinking normally, block the nest boxes in the evening and unblock after dark so they're already open first thing in the morning. Otherwise just check after dark and place her on the roost. Hopefully after several days, that will break her habit.

I'm also thinking that many chickens with single combs start having them droop because they just grow large and heavy and start to lean over or get floppy.