I have one chicken that will not leave the nesting box. Day and night she sits in there and I wonder if she is even eating or drinking. When I open the nesting box she fluffs up her feathers real big and acts angry if I try and touch her. Her comb is also rather droopy, but that could be normal for her. I took her out and put her on the ground today and she ate some food but within minutes she climbed back into the nesting box. No obvious scrapes or bruises. Is this normal or should I be worried?
Sounds like she broody, is she on eggs? if not take her off the nest, give her a cool bath that might snap her out of it.
You have a broody..... keep removing the eggs and make her get out of the box. A cool bath wouldn't hurt. Ours pulled feathers out from the belly and tried lining the nest. Did yours do that yet? I just kept after her and eventually she gave up. I think it was a little over a week of that grumpy behavior. UNLESS you WANT her to sit on eggs and hatch them.... then just leave her alone & you will have a momma. (Assuming you have a roo).
Anyone ever notice that it seems only people that DONT want broodies always get them? People that DO want broodies never get them? LOL
Lock her out of the coop if you have too. You might get a pecking or two getting her out of the box,but get her out.
my cochin banty is a wonderful brooder, and yes, she picked her breast clean and has had as many as 6 eggs under her.... luckily for her they were starter eggs from my new layers, I think if she had of been on 6 standard eggs she would have looked like a pea perched on top of a watermelon.....
