What is Eggvanka looking for / trying to tell me???

[paloozaparty]

Today, I noticed one of our 5-mo-old pullets acting very strange and I'm now desperate to see if any of you have any guesses as to what's going on?

First of all, I have no proof that she's laying yet--her same-age 2 sisters and her 3, 16-month-old aunts are.

As the pullets come into laying, ALL off our chickens' behaviors have been off the charts (all kinds of hysterical sqwaking many times a day-- that I'm trying to lean meanings of (like, when they're announcing that their trying to ward off squirrels, about to lay, laying, laid, neighbors dogs clawing at our fence, hierarchy conflicts, etc).

Eggvanka today, keeps urgently looking along the perimeter of our backyard trying to estimate how to jump up and over our 8' fence-- to get into the neighbors yard who has many dogs. She surprisingly made it up onto the fence ledge and was about to jump over, but thank goodness I was out there when it happened--which I'd have normally not been. I also just had to retrieve her from jumping over the side fence into our front yard... Again, I only saw this escape happen/retrieved her because I was already out there trying to figure out what all the pacing is about. I'm never ever out there this time of day and I just want to figure out how I could provide for her whatever she's looking for, or figure out what's wrong with her inside...

In the coop, I watched her act relentlessly, to check in on each nest--she'd do things like she was going to lay--moving around nesting materials in each nest, making round spaces in a couple of them, then kept trying to invade the other layers--i caught her trying to lift up a hen to lay her body under her, then she got into into frozen stare offs with other layers coming in to lay... She did a lot of coming and going from the coop, too.

I assumed this might be HER natural reactions to learning to lay (if she isn't already) ... She also keeps jumping into the underside of the base of the house (as of trying to find a dark / quiet space) but does jump out of that space then goes right back to franticly looking where she can jump up and over things, like to get out of the yard...

I also noticed that her beak is open/agape, but not all the time--just often enough that I noticed. I googled that and understand she could have breathing problems or have eaten something moldy, but she's not lethargic or breathing fast or obstructed...

I have now put her into our old coop to isolate. I put water and food and scratch and worms and even her own nesting box that's in the top--closed off and quiet. All she's doing is pacing back and forth along the bottom. I'm not sure she's really been eating today yet, her crop has a small bit of food in it (they've Only been out for 2 hours this morn). All of our chickens are very intense foragers and feed eaters. I'm going to take her some mash now and see if she'll eat.

She looks completely healthy otherwise so far. She's a snuggler, so I've felt all over her body and checked her legs and eyes and I can't figure out what is going on. If you have any ideas or suggestions is greatly appreciate it!!!

 

[LaFleche]

She is desperately looking for a suitable place to lay her first egg.

Your description leads me to believe that you have no rooster to show her the right nesting place and reassuring her?

 

[Jenwisp]

Our Easter eggers started laying this past week. the first 3 learned to use the nest boxes from watching our isa browns do it for the past month or so. 1 ee, Peachy, was jumping the fence repeatedly. we trimmed her flight feathers ( this did nothing to stop her btw the fence isn't high enough and she can still get high). she was pacing the perimeter as well.. frantic. like she was trying to find a bathroom. we put her in the run and closed it and she laid in the nest box. had to do it again the next day. after she laid, she was back to normal.. pecking the ground with her friends. yesterday she didn't lay ( unless she did when she escaped again ) but today she laid in the nesting box.

 

[paloozaparty]

She is desperately looking for a suitable place to lay her first egg.

Your description leads me to believe that you have no rooster to show her the right nesting place and reassuring her?

We rehomed our 5 roos about a month ago--her brothers. I've never heard that the roosters show the girls where to lay??? I've watched them all look to each other tho.

And news Flash, she did just lay a beautiful green, normal looking egg. I thought she was laying but not 100% sure. Shemight have been laying now then for up to 3 weeks.

Do you have any guesses why today her behavior is so different?

 

[LaFleche]

We rehomed our 5 roos about a month ago--her brothers. I've never heard that the roosters show the girls where to lay??? I've watched them all look to each other tho.

And news Flash, she did just lay a beautiful green, normal looking egg. I thought she was laying but not 100% sure. Shemight have been laying now then for up to 3 weeks.

Do you have any guesses why today her behavior is so different?

A good rooster will bring her to the coop as soon as she will let him know that the egg is on its way. Then he will get into the nest boxes to prepare them scratching the bedding and forming a nice hollow, exit the nest box and show her in, all the while cooing and reassuring her and often even waiting right in front of the nestbox until the egg is laid. Some even stick their heads in to coo and entertain her.

Congratulations on you green egg!

Regarding her behaviour I really think that it might have been her first egg. She will calm down when getting used to it.

 

[paloozaparty]

A good rooster will bring her to the coop as soon as she will let him know that the egg is on its way. Then he will get into the nest boxes to prepare them scratching the bedding and forming a nice hollow, exit the nest box and show her in, all the while cooing and reassuring her and often even waiting right in front of the nestbox until the egg is laid. Some even stick their heads in to coo and entertain her.

Congratulations on you green egg!

Regarding her behaviour I really think that it might have been her first egg. She will calm down when getting used to it.

Thank you sooo much! Our older hens had a rooster from their batch (that I also had to rehome--and, the batch of 9 were all his) and I DID see him so the types of things that you describe--but our previous coop is built way differently and I couldn't walk into it, so I would have never seen all that exactly. I thought the lead hen would exemplify to the newbies how to do it

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me!!!

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you sooo much! Our older hens had a rooster from their batch (that I also had to rehome--and, the batch of 9 were all his) and I DID see him so the types of things that you describe--but our previous coop is built way differently and I couldn't walk into it, so I would have never seen all that exactly. I thought the lead hen would exemplify to the newbies how to do it

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me!!!

You are very welcome! Never underestimate the beneficial effects of a good rooster.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Just want to tell u i am stealing your pullets name to give to one of mine!! Probably one of the 18-week-old isa browns. "Which one of u girls wants to be Eggvanka?!" I love it!!

 

[paloozaparty]

You are very welcome! Never underestimate the beneficial effects of a good rooster.

I did not want to rehome our roos but we're in city limits and agreed not to keep them. They're also very loud and I didn't want to impose on neighbors or risk getting reported. Plus, I quickly appreciated the roo-to-hen ratio recommendations--6 hens and 6 roos wasn't a good ratio. So I'll have to fantasize about my country life one day thank you again and I understand how beneficial it is to have a rooster in a flock! Thanks for your enlightening info!

 

[LaFleche]

I did not want to rehome our roos but we're in city limits and agreed not to keep them. They're also very loud and I didn't want to impose on neighbors or risk getting reported. Plus, I quickly appreciated the roo-to-hen ratio recommendations--6 hens and 6 roos wasn't a good ratio. So I'll have to fantasize about my country life one day thank you again and I understand how beneficial it is to have a rooster in a flock! Thanks for your enlightening info!

Yes, I do understand that within city limits and all the restrictions that come with city life there is often no way to keep a rooster and the peace with your neighbours at the same time.
But at least you can enjoy your hens and fresh eggs daily.