Broody hen and missing eggs

[BettyD]

We're new to this chicken business but thoroughly enjoying it . We have a Sussex that has gone broody. She has been in a box for 2-3 days now and we have not seen her come out. We're going to let her continue. However, where we were getting 4-6 eggs a day, now we're only getting one. All the hens were laying eggs in one of two boxes. The box she's in, got the most eggs usually 3-4 a day of both white and brown. We have 6 hens. What's happening with the rest of the hens/eggs? The first picture is the two nest boxes the chickens use. The second is the one where we get our 1 egg a day now. The last picture is of the Sussex in the cardboard box. And yes, we have a rooster.

 

[BoundlessLove]

I’d try to move her. Especially since this is where your hens like to lay their eggs.

 

[Debbie292d]

When hens go broody, they stop laying eggs.

If you can't move her so the other hens don't lay on her nest, I'd get all the eggs you want her sitting on and mark them on both ends with a pencil or sharpie (both are safe).

That way you can take the eggs out that the others are laying in her nest. If you do not do this, you will have eggs hatching staggered, and the latter ones will die unless you have an incubator. Hens know their babies have to get to food/water, and the rest of the eggs will be abandoned.

 

[Doggiekisses]

I'm not sure they will ever lay in that nesting box again. Make them a new one away from where the broody hen is. I have one that has been broody for 30 days now. A set of 5 eggs have already hatched , learned to eat and drink and have been taken from her and were replaced with 5 more eggs. She is In great health. She's eating and drinking ,but I have the food and water In dog bowls put right In front of her for easy reach. I moved her from her broody spot because the other chicks were making her nervous and a few eggs showed up missing . I have a walk in shower In my guest house I put her in and she is in heaven. The other girls that all layed where she went broody have not layed one egg there since I moved her. They had a couch in the coop they layed on so I made them a new laying box right next to the couch. I just turned a plastic bin upside-down, placed on an upside dog kennel that was taller than the couch and cut a small door in it. I put some shavings and a soft piece of old clothe material and everyone one of them lay in there now. I'm not sure what that's all about but I generally let my girls lead the way on what they want to do. They will not even use the couch for sleeping now??