Broody Hen or Egg bound

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dan1elle1

dan1elle1

Hatching
Nov 19, 2015
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Hi everyone! I have 4 hens and one of them recently has been sitting in her nesting box for a few days and won't come out of the coop without me encouraging her to do so. I'm gone throughout the day so I'm unaware if she is eating and pooing but I think she's staying on the nesting box the majority of the time. If there are other eggs in the coop; I quickly remove them. I even put a cold water bottle in a few of the boxes. Her feathers get ruffled when I try to move her and she squaks a bit. I'm new to having chickens and would really appreciate your help. Someone said to check if she is egg bound and I'm not sure how to do this. I want to make sure she is okay and I of course want her to lay eggs again too. Will she be able to lay eggs again? Thanks.
 
Hello, and
welcome-byc.gif
I'm glad you joined our flock!

Your hen sounds broody to me, but I'd still recommend posting in the Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures section to see what other experienced members think.

Good luck with her!
 
Sounds like your hen is broody, however, if you don't have a rooster, her eggs would be infertile and a waste of her time and efforts. You could get some fertile eggs to put under her and she should hatch and raise them like her own. You might want to put food and water near here. Then you can monitor if she eats/drinks or not. Often a broody will not leave the nest to eat, drink or poop- some can starve themselves to death if you don't put them out 2 or 3 times a day to take care of their business.
 
If indeed she is broody, which is sounds like she is, and you do not wish to hatch any eggs from her, then you should try to break her broodiness. I think that probably the most common method is to put her in a small cage (with food and water) that is raised off the ground for 3-4 days. In theory, the coolness of being elevated off the ground reduces her wish to brood and I'm fine with that, but from what i see, its being away from the flock - especially when its time for their daily treat of millet that drives them nuts!

CT
 

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