[chickensuburbian]

my hen has taken herself to bed early (6.00PM) for the last two days, is this a sign of looming illness or catching up on sleep thro' staying up late? up to yesterday shes laid an egg a day for the last 6-7 weeks, is she just knackered?
no other outward symptons

[Aunt Sally]

my hen has taken herself to bed early (6.00PM) for the last two days

Do the other hes stay up later   :?:  or is she perhaps on her own :?:  

Maybe she is reading a good book before turning in :roll:

Keep an eye on her  

[chickensuburbian]

thanks for getting back to me Aunt Sally, she is one of 5.

she prefers to sit in her nesting box, all day yesteday. ate a bit, drank a bit, she hasnt got any eggs under her, could she still go broody?
i think i read muntjac in his articles say that a sick bird has its head to one side, hers is upright, maybe a bit sunken into her chest, as if having a sleep.

i moved her, she had a growl, but she does anyway, within 15 minutes of scratching around the garden she returned to her box. She sleeps and lays in the box normally i know thats not normal - we got them around easter time from friends of friends who kept them that way.

[alan42]

try her out put some eggs in a box near her and if shes broody she will go and sit on the eggs if not suspect that an ilness is going on or old age is about to set in.

[mercury]

When you say she has a growl, does she fluff her feathers up, and make angry noises when you try to move her, if yes, then she is most likely broody

[Aunt Sally]

i moved her, she had a growl

Oh Yes...  BROODY  

[chickensuburbian]

today i picked her out of her nest, (GRRRR!) she is all fluffed up, she walked around a bit perched in garden with her friends after i feely around a bit (nothing to report on the feeling bit) then she just went back on her empty nest.  

She walks jumps and flies quite normally, she looks normal except for fluffing herself up , on and off the nest.

I think shes broody, she hasnt laid today, dont likew the idea of baptising her tummy or sitting her on ice cubes, will time do it?  

she'll just get over it I suppose - how long does that take in any1's experience?

does having a nest to sleep in instead of a perch have this affect?

- i'm just doing what her previous owners did.

[Aunt Sally]

21 days is the incubation time and she will give up after that time has passed.

Sleeping in the nest makes no difference  :!:

[SOURIS]

Yes definitely sounds broody. She should just stop being broody after a couple of weeks but if she is persistent then you could try locking her out of the house (away from her nest and away from any eggs) .. if this fails there is the trick of putting her in a dark cardboard box (with ventilation holes cut in) for a day - or if that fails putting her in a sack (breathable, with ventilation holes obviously) which is hung up somewhere - she won't be able to keep her balance that way and will get disorientated - again just for a day.

The most important thing is to make sure though that she has access to water and food although its likely she will only get off the nest once a day for that (and to do an almighty broody poo) and that if her feathers get really manky give her a dusting with anti mite powder. She will eventually desist!

Good luck!

[chickensuburbian]

Aunt Sally, alan42, mercury, and SOURIS, many thanks for your assistance, you are beautiful people.

[nicky]

On this subject what time should chickens go to bed?
Mine have both gone in at 8pm. I only got them yesterday and they are not at point of lay yet. Is this ok?

[psipower]

On this subject what time should chickens go to bed?
Mine have both gone in at 8pm. I only got them yesterday and they are not at point of lay yet. Is this ok?

Yep! It's OK.

Mine went about 8pm today, as well. It's normally light-dependent, although I noticed if they have had a day shut in till late, they will stay out enjoying themselves late, as well!!! - I suppose they want to get their fill of lovely grub(s).

[Aunt Sally]

It's normally light-dependent

They know predators start to come out a dusk and tend to go to roost as soon as the light level begins to drop.  They have very poor night vision and don't leave it too late to find a safe roost.