Here is some background: My 3 laying hens are almost 3 years old, and I've been introducing 3 baby chicks that are 7 weeks old. they live separately but the chicks I will put into a wire cage in the yard while the hens are free ranging and let them check each other out.
Today I was out in the yard with them from 1:00 to 3:30, but I did come out at 12 to feed them all and check up on the chicks.
This is the weird part: My BR was free ranging at 12, then at 1 she was on the nest sitting. I gave her a while before I checked on her
so after what was close to 45 minutes or an hour I went in and was talking to her. She let me stroke her and didn't puff up or even make a sound, maybe she just need some extra time to lay?
Earlier last week: I had to trim some feathers on her back side because she gets build up, and had a fair amount that I had over looked when I checked her over last. So I thought this would make it easier to lay?!
At almost 3 I decided I was going to open the back and see if she got up, and sure enough she popped out of the nest and walked around. I picked her up and felt her abdomen to make sure it was normal and it was, soft and not stiff.
I put her down and watched her and she started to cluck a little and then she got a bit noisy until she found her two hen friends.
Second weird part: when she got over to them the big hen who is the top hen chases her off and tried to jump on her till my BR runs up the deck stairs, she clucks up there for a bit and when she comes down everything is fine and they go off free ranging together!
Also my BR is the second in command and has been laying every day!
Until today I haven't noticed her sitting in the nest for so long!
In my 3 years of chickens I've never seen one chase the other after laying! Could the chicks be adding stress even though they don't live together? Could my BR be trying to go broody after being introduced to the chicks?
Anything will help I'm a little puzzled!
Today I was out in the yard with them from 1:00 to 3:30, but I did come out at 12 to feed them all and check up on the chicks.
This is the weird part: My BR was free ranging at 12, then at 1 she was on the nest sitting. I gave her a while before I checked on her
so after what was close to 45 minutes or an hour I went in and was talking to her. She let me stroke her and didn't puff up or even make a sound, maybe she just need some extra time to lay?
Earlier last week: I had to trim some feathers on her back side because she gets build up, and had a fair amount that I had over looked when I checked her over last. So I thought this would make it easier to lay?!
At almost 3 I decided I was going to open the back and see if she got up, and sure enough she popped out of the nest and walked around. I picked her up and felt her abdomen to make sure it was normal and it was, soft and not stiff.
I put her down and watched her and she started to cluck a little and then she got a bit noisy until she found her two hen friends.
Second weird part: when she got over to them the big hen who is the top hen chases her off and tried to jump on her till my BR runs up the deck stairs, she clucks up there for a bit and when she comes down everything is fine and they go off free ranging together!
Also my BR is the second in command and has been laying every day!
Until today I haven't noticed her sitting in the nest for so long!
In my 3 years of chickens I've never seen one chase the other after laying! Could the chicks be adding stress even though they don't live together? Could my BR be trying to go broody after being introduced to the chicks?
Anything will help I'm a little puzzled!
