One of my roosterless hens has just started behaving peculiarly, not laying but hanging out in the nest box all fluffed up and very snappish. Assuming that she's gone broody I am following someone's suggestion to break her of it as soon as possible, because if she stays there she won't eat or drink, and there is also danger of getting a mite infestation. She hates being removed from the nest box, but when I do that (and block it off), she'll eat and drink and generally terrrorize the other 3 chooks as usual, but she still puffs up her feathers alot. She's also spending hours taking dust baths, which I think is a good sign re the mites. If this doesn't work I will try your suggestion, simpsoncj, of closing her in the wire-bottomed hutch with food and water. I can imagine that will really make her madder than the proverbial wet hen. Thanks for the tip.