The unmovable chicken

[ChickADee453]

Hello, for the past few weeks we have been having some trouble with are almost 11 month old road island red. She stays in the coop all day laying in a nesting box, she does not seem to leave it to get food or water (but we are not sure), it does not seem that she has lost weight, she is one of our bigger chickens. Her comb has shrunken down and become a gray red color. When we open the coop and try to move her or get eggs she "puffs" up. We have tried putting her out of the coop but she just runs right back in. Today I went to check on her and she was actually laying on another one of out chickens that was in her nesting box. The rest of our chickens are doing fine and looking healthy. Does anybody know whats wrong?

 

[BigECarter]

Probably broody.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/05/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch.html?m=1

 

[Suzie]

If she is broody, as it sounds as though she may be....you need to ensure she comes out of the nesting box at least twice every day..she must eat, drink and poop. You will need to pick her up...take her outside and WAKE HER UP...walk her and ruffle her feathers if needs be...she must realise her surroundings and act as any normal chicken would do....if she does not eat, drink and poop she will die...some broodies are so dedicated that they go into a trance like state and need to be stimulated to perform their normal instincts.

Only allow her back into her nesting box once she has done what is needed to keep her alive.

 

[ChickADee453]

Thank you so much! I'm going to go do that now. Wish me luck.

 

[ChickADee453]

Thank you!

 

[Suzie]

Let us know how it goes! Good luck!

 

[Ibicella]

I agree, she sounds broody. Chickens go into something of a trance when they are brooding, and they look really spaced out. They won't eat, drink, or poop except maybe once a day and they puff up and get defensive of their nests.

If you don't want her to do any hatching, you will need to "break" her broodiness. The easiest way for me is to stick her in an open-air cage with no nesting material or shavings, and give her food and water and making sure to pick her up and make her take a walk. If you can lock her out of the coop in their run or free ranging during the day, that works too. Then put her back in the crate at night.

Be certain to keep all her eggs picked up. She should snap out of it within a few days.

 

[ChickADee453]

I have locked her and the other chickens out of the coop, she drank some water and ate a little. She has been walking around, I've been checking on her often and I will continue to make sure she eats and drinks. Thank you for all the advice! i will update you on her in a few days!