What could be wrong?

[The-White-Elephant]

Goodness, I spent an hour trying to catch her, no luck. Any tips?

 

[azygous]

Do you have a smaller enclosure within your run or coop? What I often do to grab a chicken that hates to be touched and handled is to go into a confined space and drop some scratch or oats on the ground at my feet. Let all the chickens have access including the one you wish to snare.

As the chickens mob the treats at your feet, watch for the target hen to get boxed in by the other chickens at your feet. When she is within grabbing range, make a swift downward grab.

Or wait until they all roost and grab her off the perch.

 

[aart]

Or wait until they all roost and grab her off the perch.

This^^^
Only way to go IMO.....I don't chase chickens

Then.......

I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor:
-their intake of food and water,
-crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed),
-and their poops.
Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.
Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.


Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

This^^^
Only way to go IMO.....I don't chase chickens

Then.......

Do you have a smaller enclosure within your run or coop? What I often do to grab a chicken that hates to be touched and handled is to go into a confined space and drop some scratch or oats on the ground at my feet. Let all the chickens have access including the one you wish to snare.

As the chickens mob the treats at your feet, watch for the target hen to get boxed in by the other chickens at your feet. When she is within grabbing range, make a swift downward grab.

Or wait until they all roost and grab her off the perch.

1) She doesn't sleep on a perch

2) It's near impossible to get her with a rooster who chases you around.

Only way for me to get her, is take her outside. Oh, and she doesn't really come running for anything. Unless it's small rocks, like grit. But I appreciate the input

 

[aart]

1) She doesn't sleep on a perch

Where does she sleep?

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Where does she sleep?

In the "2nd coop". That was where we kept them when they were younger. About 4 chickens sleep there.

 

[aart]

In the "2nd coop". That was where we kept them when they were younger. About 4 chickens sleep there.

Well, can you get her out of there after dark?

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Well, can you get her out of there after dark?

Well, I have a bug update:


I messed up. Thing I felt wasn’t her crop, just some bone right next to the crop. Her crop is actually empty. I’m really sorry for wasting your time.

This makes me think she’s egg bound, could that be it? She hasn’t layed in 4+ months.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Well, I have a bug update:


I messed up. Thing I felt wasn’t her crop, just some bone right next to the crop. Her crop is actually empty. I’m really sorry for wasting your time.

This makes me think she’s egg bound, could that be it? She hasn’t layed in 4+ months.

Edit: Took her back out, her crop was harder. Did the massage thing. She seems better, actually!