Think hen recovering from dog attack has gone broody - help

Daisy · **Joined:** Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:42 am **Posts:** 1

My 11 month old Pekin Bantam was attacked by a dog on 2 November. The hen received a clean bill of health from the vet - some feathers lost, but no puncture wounds. As the hen was back on her feet the evening of her attack, I put her in with her mate and found her in the nesting box the next morning. This hen has now spent most of her time in the nesting box and has lost some weight. I have been moving the healthy hen to another coop during the day so she can lay (both coops in sight of each other) and then I home them together in afternoon.

The hen that was attacked began actly oddly the day after the attack including: acting like she's going to peck me when I move her from the nest, remaining on the ground (nesting) for a couple of hours after I remove her from the nesting box, flapping her wings at the other hen while chirping, spending the time that she's not in the nesting box on the perch.

These are my first chickens and are well loved pets. After the dog attack, I thought the behaviour she was displaying was shock, but a friend thought she might have gone broody. Prior to the attack, she was my loudest hen and would announce when she or the other hen were about to lay and also would announce again once they had laid. She hasn't done this since the attack and also has not laid since.

I would appreciate any guidance others can offer.

chookshow · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:55 pm

Daisy wrote:

The hen that was attacked began actly oddly the day after the attack including: acting like she's going to peck me when I move her from the nest, remaining on the ground (nesting) for a couple of hours after I remove her from the nesting box, flapping her wings at the other hen while chirping, spending the time that she's not in the nesting box on the perch.

I would appreciate any guidance others can offer.

That is normal behavior for a clucky hen and nothing to worry about. Most hens will peck at you or other chooks when you or they go to touch them or the eggs when they are sitting it means she is defending her nest. Is so nice that you love your chooks and worry about them, we can relate to that.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

^^^ like chookshow says

AustralianKiwi · **Joined:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:09 pm **Posts:** 4

I have a kelpie blue heeler and an australian shepherd that occassionally turn up at the house with a chook in their mouth. They have never physically harmed one, but there have been many feathers lost. The chooks seem to take a while to recover, they stop laying and go quiet.... however all have returned to their pesky selfs.....
footnote: The dogs have learnt that bringing a chicken to the house is not the done thing, but for a while there I was not getting many eggs.
Kirsty
NSW

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Think hen recovering from dog attack has gone broody - help

Who is on the Forum