Broody Hen?

[Awestruck]

I am on my second batch of chickens, and all of ours are hens, thank God. I have 2 White Leghorns who started laying eggs in August. One of them has decided to stay in the nest box all the time. Since I have had surgery and cannot be with the chickens at this time, my husband is taking care of them for me. He has managed to get her off the nest box and out. She seems fine when she is out, but eventually goes back to the nest box. I did go out there and check them out today, and when I opened the door to the coop she was there and fluffed up her feathers in anger. I think she even growled.
Anyone else have this problem? Will she always be this way? What can we do to help her?

 

[SpeckySussex]

Can you show a picture? Anyway it sounds like she's broody. She'll give up if you keep taking her away from the nesting box or you don't allow her access.... I wouldn't recommend denying nesting boxes because if she isn't broody and has to lay an egg she might hold it in and cause prolapse/egg binding.

 

[SpeckySussex]

You could just let her sit on it. She won't lay eggs for the next 21 days if she does, though....
It would be best to take her out because unless you have a rooster they won't hatch. She will barely eat/drink while she's broody too, so it's best to remove her any time you see her in there. (In my opinion)

 

[rosemarythyme]

She sounds broody. If you don't plan on hatching it'd be best to confine her in a breaker cage until she's over it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/ on how to set up a broody breaker.