Cat tunnels for catio wanted

[Julia W]

Audrey seems to be spending a lot of time in the nesting area. I take her out each day when I go and collect the eggs which annoys her, I know because she pecks me when I go to pick her up. Her comb is sort of lying down on her head rather than sticking up like the others' combs. Is she ill or is she just broody. I can't tell if she's laying or not because I have 6 chickens and only get 4 or 5 eggs a day. I've put some Battles Poultry Drink in the water hoping this might perk her up. I do know she's drinking but not sure if she's eating. I threw some mealworms down today and she just sauntered over but didn't go mad like the rest of them do.

 

I hope someone can help me otherwise I shall have to take her to the vet and I'm not so sure my vet knows as much about chickens as all you people out there.

[lindafw]

sounds like she is broody...turf her out and put her somewhere where she can't brood...some people use a cat basket which the keep in a cool well ventilated place. There is info on the other pages I think

[Julia W]

Thanks ever so much, that's a big relief I thought she might be ill but if she's just broody then that's ok. I can sort her out.

[Poached Egg]

It does sound like shes being broody,however was her comb sticking up prior to this(some breeds do have combs that lay down on their heads)if so then something may be amiss.

Hopefully its just broody and you can sort her out.

[Julia W]

Hi Poached Egg, yes her comb did sit up more on her head than it does now but none of their combs really stand straight, her's looks a little dull in colour too so perhaps there is something wrong. I shall keep an eye on her for a day or two and see what happens, it might have to be a vet visit. Thanks for your advice and to lindafw too.

[Poached Egg]

I would give her check over looking for lice or red mites,also check when she was last wormed.hope she gets well soon.

[Julia W]

Thanks for that. I do plan to worm all the girls very soon, just a question of getting the stuff which hopefully I will get this week. I will check her over and see if I can see anything horrible there. I have some red mite powder and lice powder so I shall do all of them if she's got anything there.

[Julia W]

Just been up to the girls and got Audrey out of the nest box, she was a bit disgruntled. I checked her all over and there is no sign of mite infestation so I guess she's ok from that point of view. She did start to eat some of the pellets and then I got the corn out. I give them about a handful from my hands every day about this time and Audrey came charging over when all the other girls were gathered around and was pecking away like the rest of them. I then decided on a few mealworms and she went for these with gusto like all the rest. Now she's scratching around as normal and making a dust bath so I think she's just broody. Everyone says you should stop her from brooding but I don't know why, can anyone enlighten me please, I don't think she's laying as I only got five eggs out of six chickens so I expect it's her that isn't laying.

[Chucky Mama]

There is some info Here in the FAQs

[Julia W]

Thanks ChuckyMama, this was very interesting. I'll go up and see if she's made her way back to the nesting box and act accordingly. I do feel sorry for her though because I'm turfing her out of a nice warm nesting box and it's pretty windy here at the moment. I know where I'd rather be if I was her.........cruel to be kind I guess.

[jennym]

I checked her all over and there is no sign of mite infestation so I guess she's ok from that point of view

 

HI Julia, it sounds like she's broody but just FYI, I'm not sure you'd see any signs of red mite on the hen itself. They leave the hens during the day and stay in the coop - they go into cracks & crevices, and possibly into straw (e.g. hollow bits), I think. If you want to check for red mite then look for something that looks like cigarette ash on the coop (that's their droppings), or take it apart (if you can) and check for them in small dark spaces like at the end of the roosting bars, etc.

 

It sounds like you've got a broody so I don't mean to worry you - just info for the future!

[zakjon-98]

I have a broody or hormonal hen as I call it and it can be quite common so don't worry. Mine looked a bit pale but I think this was because she wasn't drinking and was fine after. Good luck as they can be stubborn!

[Julia W]

Hi Jennym, I've got an eglu cube so I can clean it out really well, as opposed to a wooden hen house. I clean it out with a hose and hot soapy water so I don't think I have any problems with red mite but will bear in mind your advice and thank you. Weather permitting tomorrow I'll go up and give it a really thorough clean out taking care to blast all the crevices just to make sure. I have a pressure washer so that should take care of any little gribblies that might have got in there. Audrey does seem pretty ok at the moment, I went up again this afternoon and sat in the run with them for about half an hour, I just love sitting watching them, they jump up on my lap from time to time to 'investigate' me. My 'comfy chair' is just a log I sit on which isn't the most comfortable of seats but I was thinking of using and old garden chair and I could cover it with plastic when not in use by me so that it doesn't get covered in chicken poo. Mind you, with a comfy chair I might be there for hours and nothing would get done in the house...........but who cares.

[Julia W]

I have a broody or hormonal hen as I call it and it can be quite common so don't worry. Mine looked a bit pale but I think this was because she wasn't drinking and was fine after. Good luck as they can be stubborn!

 

Thanks for your input. She is definately eating and drinking so I'm not too worried that she's ill but I shall continue to keep an eye on her just to see how she's doing. I am inclined to just let her go through this broody stage even though I'm not getting any eggs from her, I have five other hens so five eggs a day is fine at the moment. I read about how to stop her being broody and it all seemed a little harsh dunking her in cold water etc. I know in some cases this would be the sensible thing to do if you are reliant on the eggs but I shall just continue to keep her off the nest and see how it goes.

[jennym]

I might be there for hours and nothing would get done in the house...........but who cares.

 

This is the point of having hens...right?

[Julia W]

You're so right. Can't imagine life without my girls now. To me they are the equivalent of hubbies going off to the shed for hours on end but I bet I have more fun