Broody or sick

[flounder1]

One of my buff orfingtons has spent the last three days sitting in an empty nest box except for when I have manually picked her up and set jer in the run, She then sits right down where I set her only to get up a few minutes later and joing right in with the other chickens normal activity like nothing is wrong. She will hang out for about ten minutes then go straight back to the coop to get on the same empty nest and sit. I am new to the chicken business and she seems to act and have all the symptoms of a broody hen but there is no clutch of eggs or even a single egg she is sitting on. When I do put her out of the nest and into the run she acts normal. Could she be broody without a clutch or even one egg in the nest. She is about 11 months old and has been laying. Any advice????

 

[Brookliner]

Probably broody.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Is she still laying? Is she on the nest at night?

If she is not laying and she is on the nest at night, she's broody. If she is still laying, she's not broody........yet. And yes, a hen can go broody without any eggs or without a rooster. It's a hormonal change inside their bodies.

 

[Woodysgirl29]

I have a silkie with almost the same behavior. She spends all her time in the box I can't tell if she is laying or not because the others lay in there with her and leave eggs which I take out everyday. If I take her out she will do a dust bath scratch around then after a short time run back in and take up her previous spot. How do I help end it if she is broody I hate to take her in the house. Will she eventually get over it?

 

[Brookliner]

Search BYC for " Breaking a Broody" there are several articles on this subject.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Break a Broody Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2176186#p2176186

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have a silkie with almost the same behavior. She spends all her time in the box I can't tell if she is laying or not because the others lay in there with her and leave eggs which I take out everyday. If I take her out she will do a dust bath scratch around then after a short time run back in and take up her previous spot. How do I help end it if she is broody I hate to take her in the house. Will she eventually get over it?

Not likely with a silkie - they are one of the most broody breeds around. You either need to break her or give her eggs to hatch.

 

[flounder1]

Well after the advice and more reading I have come to the conclusion that she is broody. Its is now one week and she is still sitting day and night. I have went ahead and gave her 3 eggs to sit on from the other hens. Also today I am going to stick a few banny eggs under her from a neighbor's chickens. If she wants to sit it might as well not be in vein.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Who doesn't love babies!