What's going on with my hen?

[new_to_the_coop]

HI everyone,

My 15 week old hen has been acting VERY strange lately. She has made herself a "nest" under the feeder. They have nesting boxes, but she is curled up under the feeder. Plus, she is only 15 weeks old, too young to lay. She is "lethargic" but alert, and is letting me hold her. I can get her up and moving for a VERY SHORT time, but then she goes right back to her "nest". Also, although she is acting very tame, she has pecked me VERY hard when I do get her up. She has never done this before.

My other hen is acting relatively normal.

Oh, and she is laying somewhat off to her side. And she "rolls" in the floor grit (to the point where she has covered herself in dirt).

What do you think this us? Is she sick? Or has she matured VERY quickly and ready to lay?

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Sounds like she's taking a dirt bath...they do that to rid themselves of lice, mites (doesn't mean they have these on them, just something they do). You'll also find them digging a hole and laying on their side to sun bathe.

I'll leave the rest up to the experts.

 

[BookWorm243]

She is taking a dust bath

It's normal all chickens do it's just a normal thing my 3 chicks start taking dust baths at 3 weeks old!

 

[new_to_the_coop]

It is definitely a dirt bath that she is giving herself. I did some research and see that some hens do lay as early as 15 weeks?!?!?! Wow. Maybe she is getting ready to give us her first egg? They are mixed breeds, bred by a local farmer for superior egg production. I hope this is the case. I'd hate to think she was sick...

But, she has been acting this way for about 4 days now (no egg yet). Is this normal before the first egg? As you can see I am new to all of this (these are our first hens).