Recent activity with out hen

[Chicken6000]

Our hen is roughly 8 months old, she's laid eggs in the past but about 2 days ago she's been staying in a nesting box constantly, even at night, she makes a little growl when a chicken or human is near her, she makes her body larger and warm under her. She's been like this for 2 days, obviously she is broody, but yesterday I wanted to see how her feet and legs were since she was laying all day, she had a struggle walking and didn't really eat much, she pushed herself to move to go back in to the nesting box which she looked healthy in. Today, one of out other hens sort of pressured her to leave, they were pecking her and tried invading her box, she ran straight out into our yard, the first thing she did was jump, flap her wings, and go to the dirt, she was still stuck making her growling sounds and she wasn't socializing much, she ate and drank alone but she was generally acting a bit strange. I was confused because she was moving actively although just the other day she could barely move her legs, Is it something with her nerve due to laying for a while? Like if our foot fell asleep? She decided to go back in the nesting box and I'm just curious what that was about, why was she acting weird and jumping when she got out? Was it due to not being out in a while? Will she be like this for a while?

 

[sourland]

Many times broody hens leaving the nest will squawk, fly, defecate and dustbathe. The first two perhaps to lead possible predators from the nest site. The second because it's necessary, and the third to get rid of parasites. I have noticed that setting hens removed from their nest site and placed on the ground sort of creep around instead of getting on with things. Why? I don't have a clue.

 

[sourland]

@Shadrach Have any ideas about this?

 

[Chicken6000]

@Shadrach Have any ideas about this?

I heard that if a hen is laying for a continuous amount of time for a while whether a few hours to days like if they were broody sort of like mine, compress a nerve when laying which is like sort of if a humans foot was asleep and they cant move it you know

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach Have any ideas about this?

Funnily enough I have. Not something provable and not something that happens with every hen.

I've had a few hens do similar, usually when I've lifted them off their nests to make sure they eat, drink and dustbathe.
When I lift them off the nest they are usually still in the broody trance and their legs are often still locked in the broody position. I put them on the ground in front of the food I've supplied and they gradually sink back to the ground and just sit there. It often takes a few repeats of slippping my hand underneath them and lifting so they stand, let them sink back down, repeat...
At some point they wake up for want of a better description and that's when they leap into the air letting out a loud scream and charge off like the bum is on fire. I follow them and find as the OP does, they're in a dust bath behaving perfectly normally. I don't think it's cramp. I think it's a kind of shock from being brought out of their trance in a bit of a rush. A bit like sitting bolt upright in bed after suddenly breaking out of a deep dream.

Take it all with a few pinches of salt but that's my theory.

 

[sourland]

Funnily enough I have. Not something provable and not something that happens with every hen.


Take it all with a few pinches of salt but that's my theory.

Don't need those pinches of salt. Sort what I have witnessed and surmised.

 

[Chicken6000]

Funnily enough I have. Not something provable and not something that happens with every hen.

I've had a few hens do similar, usually when I've lifted them off their nests to make sure they eat, drink and dustbathe.
When I lift them off the nest they are usually still in the broody trance and their legs are often still locked in the broody position. I put them on the ground in front of the food I've supplied and they gradually sink back to the ground and just sit there. It often takes a few repeats of slippping my hand underneath them and lifting so they stand, let them sink back down, repeat...
At some point they wake up for want of a better description and that's when they leap into the air letting out a loud scream and charge off like the bum is on fire. I follow them and find as the OP does, they're in a dust bath behaving perfectly normally. I don't think it's cramp. I think it's a kind of shock from being brought out of their trance in a bit of a rush. A bit like sitting bolt upright in bed after suddenly breaking out of a deep dream.

Take it all with a few pinches of salt but that's my theory.

Thanks for the help, Currently she is still in her nesting box, i guess i shouldnt worry much about the situation as long as i make sure she eats, should I move her out to be active every now and then or should i let her do her own thing acting broody?

 

[Shadrach]

I heard that if a hen is laying for a continuous amount of time for a while whether a few hours to days like if they were broody sort of like mine, compress a nerve when laying which is like sort of if a humans foot was asleep and they cant move it you know

I think I'm right in writing that cramp is caused by crystals of lactic acid forming in the muscle fibers. If you've had cramp you'll know it takes time for the cramp to go and this is the crystals breaking down. One doesn't usually have cramp one second and it's gone the next so the sudden violent jump wouldn't seem possible should the problem be cramp.

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks for the help, Currently she is still in her nesting box, i guess i shouldnt worry much about the situation as long as i make sure she eats, should I move her out to be active every now and then or should i let her do her own thing acting broody?

Some hens take a little time to get the idea they need to leave the nest, once a day usually. Most I've dealt with that don't leave the nest of their own volition may need lifting off for two or three days after which they do it by themselves