Help please

[Moredairyfarmerthanchicke]

2yr old chicken mum to 5wk old chicks has gone crazy. Trying to hide in all sorts of weird places, pacing the fence line trying to find a way out ( my chooks are free range around my house and paddock) but still pacing and trying to force her way out. Acting scared and shaky. She is the most aggressive chook and has started being too aggresive towards her chicks whenever they come near her or they are eating. She charges them and scares them off by pecking them. She has had a bit of a cough and sneezes occasionally. She has also laid her first egg already after hatching the chicks. To me it looks like she has lost her marbles.

 

[Perris]

hello @Moredairyfarmerthanchicke welcome to BYC

You say she 'has a bit of a cough and sneezes occasionally.' So she may be trying to stop passing on whatever she's got to her chicks. Or she's just done with being broody and wants her life back now they're old enough to look after themselves - that she's resumed laying suggests as much.

I'd advise just making sure that the chicks can get food and water away from her, by having widely spaced feeders, for example, so no one bird can dominate and prevent access.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Great stress or diseases could cause such a behaviour...
(BUT : the fact your hen sneezes and couchs COULD be nothing to worry about, and have nothing to do with her behaviour.)

What breed is your hen?

During the days, does she have spots/locations to hide herself from view, or to protect herself from wind, rain, etc...?

Are she and her chicks separated from the other chickens?

Are there predators near your home...?

Actually... is there a cellphone tower close to you? ...5G? Even 4G...?
Or are there wind turbines...?

...Did your check if your hen is wounded...?
Or do you think she could (also) have vitamins deficiency?

(Did you deworm her?
And treat her for lice and mites?
...If so, what products did you use, exactly?)

...You don't know what her problem is, but you could already want to diversify her food, and simply give her food she likes... a lot!
Give her some fruits, for example... or fish (especially salmon)... or wet cat food - chickens love it...!
Could really help to de-stress her, simply because she will enjoy eating something that tastes good and she does not eat everyday...

I would personally mix some curcumin, garlic, ginger, and/or peppermint in her food : they are renowed to fight against stress, and can't hurt if their dosage is not extra-abused...
(And if I was not allergic to essential oils, I would put a mix of water and - just a bit of - Peppermint Essential Oil in her coop in the evenings (just before she is going to sleep), everyday for several days - 14 days MAXIMUM.)

...Would you have a picture of your hen?
Could always help to determine the problem, if people see something on your picture you did not notice...

 

[Moredairyfarmerthanchicke]

Hi.

Great stress or diseases could cause such a behaviour...
(BUT : the fact your hen sneezes and couchs COULD be nothing to worry about, and have nothing to do with her behaviour.)

What breed is your hen?

During the days, does she have spots/locations to hide herself from view, or to protect herself from wind, rain, etc...?

Are she and her chicks separated from the other chickens?

Are there predators near your home...?

Actually... is there a cellphone tower close to you? ...5G? Even 4G...?
Or are there wind turbines...?

...Did your check if your hen is wounded...?
Or do you think she could (also) have vitamins deficiency?

(Did you deworm her?
And treat her for lice and mites?
...If so, what products did you use, exactly?)

...You don't know what her problem is, but you could already want to diversify her food, and simply give her food she likes... a lot!
Give her some fruits, for example... or fish (especially salmon)... or wet cat food - chickens love it...!
Could really help to de-stress her, simply because she will enjoy eating something that tastes good and she does not eat everyday...

I would personally mix some curcumin, garlic, ginger, and/or peppermint in her food : they are renowed to fight against stress, and can't hurt if their dosage is not extra-abused...
(And if I was not allergic to essential oils, I would put a mix of water and - just a bit of - Peppermint Essential Oil in her coop in the evenings (just before she is going to sleep), everyday for several days - 14 days MAXIMUM.)

...Would you have a picture of your hen?
Could always help to determine the problem, if people see something on your picture you did not notice...

 

[nuthatched]

She's weaning them, she's done being momma.

 

[Moredairyfarmerthanchicke]

Pics of Robbie the chicken. Im waiting for a cooler day to deworm the chickens. We are in NZ and its been hot.
Her poo is normal i did check it and think i may have found a tiny worm. She has heaps of places to hide and tends to hang out by herself. She has a sister who sat on eggs with her and she looks after the chicks. I introduced my 2 other chickens to the chicks and mums at 2wks old. They have seperate coups 1 for the mums and babies and 1 for the other 2 sisters. The 2 without babies usually hang out together but they all can be together if they choose to. They have lots of water containers wich i keep topped up with clean cold water.

I dont think she has any wounds and there are no cell phone towers near us. Iv seen no sign of mites and usually treat their coup when i do their bedding. Is the mix you suggested above ok for chicks to have too?

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that she is most likely done being broody, and is wanting away from the chicks. Hopefully, they are now able to stick together as a group and take care of themselves. I once had a broody who abandoned her 5 chicks when they were 2 weeks old. Luckily, they were by then a part of the flock, and none of the others hurt them. They would go out and forage during the day, grouping together for periods of rest and to keep warm. They would pile into a nest box at night, then after a couple of weeks, they would all sit next to each other on the roost at night. All made it and were healthy, even though it was cool. If she is just sneezing occasionally, that can be from feed or dust getting into her nostrils.

 

[Moredairyfarmerthanchicke]

Pics of Robbie the chicken. Im waiting for a cooler day to deworm the chickens. We are in NZ and its been hot.
Her poo is normal i did check it and think i may have found a tiny worm. She has heaps of places to hide and tends to hang out by herself. She has a sister who sat on eggs with her and she looks after the chicks. I introduced my 2 other chickens to the chicks and mums at 2wks old. They have seperate coups 1 for the mums and babies and 1 for the other 2 sisters. The 2 without babies usually hang out together but they all can be together if they choose to. They have lots of water containers wich i keep topped up with clean cold water.

Update on Robbie..she has the choice of where she sleeps but always chooses to sleep with the chicks and other mum. Tonight i heard a commotion and went to check the mums and babies to find Robbie trying to get under the other mum and attacking the babies if they came close. She continued to try get under the other chook and disturb the chicks so i moved her to the other coup with her 2 sisters who are on their perch ready for the night. Robbie is not happy and as i watch she tried to get underneath her sisters while being on the perch. Iv left her hiding underneath 1 of the other chooks. Hopefully she will be ok. Its not the first time iv seen her try to get underneath another chook . This behaviour started after the chicks had hatched.

 

[Moredairyfarmerthanchicke]

After locking Robbie away with her other 2 sisters last night away from the chicks i let them all out and Robbie started running around crazy like. Almost like she was looking for something and when she came across the chicks she started charging at them and chasing them attacking them. I noticed she did a black runny poo too. Iv locked her away by herself in a paddock with 1 of the coups .

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

(Robbie is really cute!!
Thank you for the pictures. She, at least, looks very healty...!)

I don't doubt you know your hen; and so, if you think "she has lost her marbles", then she indeed could have lost her marbles...

Something is clearly stressing your hen : from what you are telling, it does not sound like you are purely dealing with a mere aggressive hen... and the chicks could just be the straw that broke the camel's back...!
(Indeed : to me, if Robbie's weird behaviour could have been worsened by the chicks, her obvious great stress in itself would not be provoked by these babies...)

You need to de-worm her AT LEAST.
...To do so, I would - personally - put 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar per liter of water in a PLASTIC waterer (NEVER PUT ACV IN A METAL ONE), and mix food grade Diatomaceous Earth in her food.
(I would actually ALSO mix food grade Diatomaceous Earth to the CHICKS feeds, because I would want DE to help their growth and allow them to be in their best health.)

If possible, I would isolate Robbie for a good month, so she could see the others hens, but not touch them...
...I understand she is the boss of your hens for now...? She won't be anymore once your other hens establish a new hierarchy between themselves, without Robbie's interference... (And older are the chicks before you let her with them again, better it is in order to avoid - as much as possible - any attack directed at them...)

Would you mind telling what exactly you use to treat their coop when you do the bedding?
Maybe her behaviour could have been first caused by a component of the product you use...? (Or she really could be just crazy, what do I know...?)