Remember that chicken that had that foot problem? Well, now she stays in the corner of the henhouse, facing the wall and won't come out. What is the matter with her? I have no idea what to do. I have picked her up and put her out in the pen and she runs right back to that corner. Any suggestions? Thanks.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch1@semo.net), March 04, 2001

Answers

Time for chicken and dumplin's.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), March 04, 2001.

As the commercial says "A mind is a terrible thing to waste"! I agree and so is the rest of the chik'n! Noodles also will work! Luke 6:31

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 04, 2001.

Well, I gotta disagree. I don't eat an animal that might be ill. Have the other chickens been pecking her? I gotta say she's either hen-pecked or ill. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 04, 2001.

The other chickens aren't pecking her, they just ignore her and she doesn't mind one bit.. what does a broody hen act like? She is getting around on that foot real well. I turned the other hens out late this afternoon so they could forage and I picked her up and put her out too...she stayed out awhile and pecked and walked around and then went right back to that corner.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch1@semo.net), March 04, 2001.

Is this one of your light Brahmas?(trying to remember) They will sometimes brood. I was thinking she was like sticking her head in a corner. Is she just sitting there, kind of fluffed up? Usually a broody hen will pick her breast, so you will find it bare,(if you really look) and she will stay on the nest(with or without) eggs at night instead of going to the roost. She may or may not aggressively defend her spot. If some of these things seem to fit, you might try giving her a few eggs in her chosen spot and see. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 04, 2001.

She is a dark Brahma and so far is not picking at her breast. She will not roost but that could have been from the bad foot, the foot is okay now though. She sits facing the corner of the hen house and it is always the same corner. Will try the egg bit and see what happens. Thanks.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch1@semo.net), March 04, 2001.

She seems to be running away from the flock. You may not see the other birds pecking or bullying her, but with an injured foot she's a good target for this. A broody hen will sit on a nest whether or not it has eggs. If she's sitting in a corner and not on a nest, it doesn't sound like she's broody. I'd separate her until the foot heals. If you don't want to bother, well, you know what needs to be done.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 05, 2001.

I do have a few hens that will brood right on the ground. But my concern here is that she is facing the corner. That seems to be a hiding from the others stance. A broody hen will normally face outward in a protecting my turf stance. I still wouldn't butcher her if it were me. But then I have a couple of hens who've actually been blinded in one eye by the others and come around to be good hens. She may just need a little more time. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 05, 2001.

If she is still laying, just call her odd. If she is not laying and not ill, call her dinner. If she is ill, bury her deep in your garden and call her plant food.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), March 05, 2001.

I would not eat her, only because i raised my hens for the joy of watching them that they bring me and for the eggs. They are my pets so culling isn't an option.. however if you are in it for the meat, well then thats different, but a sick chicken may not be a healthy food choice. Try some antibiotics in her drinking water. This works for me almost every time theres a problem. Feed stores carry this as well as Murray McMurray Hatchery. I feel sort of sad for her...Michele

-- Michele Rae Padgett (michelesmelodyfarm@Yahoo.com), March 05, 2001.

I agree with Laura.... I have seen hens do this when they have been injured... just to protect themselves. If she does it after the foot is completely healed, well, its a safe bet she won't breed. Also a safe bet that the eggs will be off a little. Lack of sunlight causes a lack of vitamin A, which in turn might lighten the yolks in any eggs she lays - and vitamin D which will affect the calcium that goes into the shells.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 05, 2001.