Broody Chicken, No Eggs?

[Farm Girl83]

I have a dark brahma hen who is 8 months old. She was laying regularly (1 per day to 1 every other day). For the last eight days she has not layed any eggs, and she won't come out of her nesting box. She isn't laying on any other chickens eggs. If I make her come out, she will run around and peck and play, but only if I make her come out. I'm really worried, and hoping she is ok. I made her come out yesterday, she ran around outside for about an hour, and then got back in her box. I have checked her for egg binding, and I don't believe she is bound. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm one worried mama!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hi there,

and welcome to BYC!

Sounds like she is broody. They don't have to set on anything to be broody. They will set on a pile of rocks or invisible eggs! LOL. If the hormones are pumping, they go broody.

Does she growl at you when you go to get her out of the nest box? Does she cluck cluck cluck when away from the box? And will she bite you if you try to move her out of the box? If she does these things, you have a broody. She doesn't sound sick to me. But I would give her an over all exam just to make sure.

Good luck with your babies and enjoy BYC!

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! x2 I think she's broody.

 

[Farm Girl83]

Thank you for the warm welcome! She doesn't growl at me, but she will peck me a couple of times. Once she gets that out of her system, she lets me pet her and relaxes. She doesn't seem dehydrated, she will eat when I make her get down, and she is not bound. I just love her, and was worried. So thankful that there are so many people here to get advice from. Thank YOU!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. What you are describing is broody behavior -

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! X5, sounds like you have a broody. The Learning Center has a good article on them https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens If you don't want to let her hatch eggs, you may want to break/stop her of being broody, sometimes they will set for a long long time, months, if they don't hatch chicks, and they won't lay eggs during that time and they can get kind of run down from staying on the nest so long.

 

[gander007]

Alright

glad you could join us

Sounds like she is broody and they really do not need egg's under them to go broody just give her time to do her thing or give her some fertile egg's

 

[drumstick diva]

you could get some fertile eggs to put under her to hatch. Or give her a couple store bought eggs or even golf balls for a week or so to make her happy, then if possible buy a couple day old chicks. At night remove the eggs(or golf balls) and give her the chicks and see if she excepts them.

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! Sounds like your hen wants to be a momma You can do what the above posters advised, get her some fertile eggs to hatch, or decoy eggs for a minimum of 2 weeks before swapping them out for day-old chicks. Though I think getting chicks this time of the year may be difficult... If you don't want her to have chicks it would be best to break her broodiness asap. The easiest method is to put her in a wire cage for a few days with only food and water. Broody hens' body temperature is slightly elevated and when in a cage the air circulation makes it difficult for them to maintain that so after an average of 3 days, they'll snap out of it. Good luck and enjoy!