Broody or sick hen?

[HilaryAkin]

I wrote about this yesterday but had a couple videos to add that I was hoping might help. Shadow has a blister on her bare belly and not wanting to leave her nesting box. Now, when I say "nesting box", I mean a bag of half emptied bedding some of the chickens turned into a nesting box, so I never removed it (they do have four other actual nesting boxes). She's been all fluffed up and making an odd clucking noise since she started staying in there. It was suggested that she may be going broody and the removed feathers and blisters are a result of that. To help, I removed the bag of bedding in hopes she would leave that spot or the coop, really. Instead, I found her in the spot the bag normally is, just laying there all pathetic. Please see videos and pics below. Is this normal broody hen behavior or do I need to be concerned it's something else? Just as a side, I do have eight 5 week old chicks in the coop and enclosure next to the big enclosure in hopes of getting everyone used to one another. This has just been since they turned 4 weeks old and was really trying to be careful that I washed hands and such when going between groups the first month. Oh, and also, we just gave away our rooster around the time this started happening too.

And am I being mean by taking the bag of bedding out??

 

[HollowOfWisps]

She has gone broody. When the broody sets in if you remove their nest they will often come back to the same spot unless you break the broodiness. My hens tend to get little scabs on their belly from rigorous plucking or when they have gone broody somewhere other than a cozy padded nesting box.

 

[Bluesamantha26]

I would make sure she has easy access to a bit of food and water she can reach from in the box just in case she wants it but doesn't want to leave that spot. Maybe put some nutridrench In water to make sure she stays healthy and doesn't want to eat?