Trying to lay ? Or sick?

[destinidawn]

I have a 16 week old gold sex link. She has been squatting for a couple days. I got home from work and she was not outside playing with the rest of the little pullets. I opened the coop could not see her.. Opened the nesting boxes and she was in there. She stayed there for an hour. Then she got up on the roost and has been standing in the same spot for over an hour. She would not take grass or food. She is not doing the "egg song" but she is definately making new noises. All the other chickens seem fine she looks normal just not active. She normally runs around like a banchee.. haha. Hoping its just our first egg and she does not know exactly what to do so she is just standing on the roost.. And by standing I mean standing not on the roost like when they are going to bed.. She has barely moved.

 

[aggiemae]

She's on the young side for laying but read up on egg binding just in case.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-treat-egg-binding-in-chickens.seriesId-137004.html

A sitze bath or warm compresses won't hurt her is binding isn't the problem.

What's she eating? Starting Layer feed increases the chances of bound eggs.

 

[destinidawn]

I know it seems a bit young. She might be 17 weeks.. I got them from a feed store. 15 weeks ago they told me thery were a week old. But they were much bigger than my 3 day olds. They are all still eating an umedicated grower feed. No layer feed yet. They started on medicated starter feed. Then went to the unmedicated grower feed. I just opened the pop door this morning she looks fine she layed on the roost at bedtime. I do not intend to put them on layer feed until the laying starts. Hopefully she is just an early layer and was wierd from that. I will check before work to see if she went out to play like the rest of the chickens.

 

[destinidawn]

Back in the nest box again this morning.. Laying down in it this time.. Hopefully it means an egg is near. She got off the roost. Had a drink and a bite to eat and has been in the box ever since. So about 20 minutes now. Hopefully all is good. If no better by the time I get home a warm compress i will try