Buff Orpington won't leave nesting box??

[Chicklalette]

Can anyone help me? My Buff Orpington doesn't seem to want to get our of the nesting boxes. It looks like she wants to lay an egg - but nothing - we did take her out of the box ans she did eat and drink some - then went back to the same nesting box. She looks "fluffy" - She has been in the nest for 2 days now - we think we checked to see if there was an egg - my husband and I felt her abdomen, we lubercated her vent and jsut inside her vent. Not sure how to see if thereis an egg "stuck" or what and where to feel.

Is this behavior - beginning to be Broody? or maybe eggbound?

We are new to chickens - She is 8mths old, Buff Orpington. We feed them Dumore crumbles, scratch, and they have access to plenty of calicum. We give then greens and fresh veggies as treats.

Any ideas? Please?

Thank you,

Kim

 

[sourland]

Keep an eye on her, but it sounds like the start of broodiness.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I second that.

Does she gather all the other eggs under her? If you put a golf ball in the box, does she gather that too? Any hissing or growling when you put your hand near her?

 

[CityClucks]

She is going broody. If you want to break her, separate her from the others - put her in some sort of cage that has a wire bottom so air can get under her. Give her fresh food and water but no nesting materials. She won't like it, but in a few days when you put her back with the flock, she hopefully will not want to nest. This has worked for me many times with my Buff Orpingtons.

 

[PunkinPeep]

broody broody broody

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Is she clucking? That's a dead giveaway. Give that gal some eggs. I have some extras if you are interested.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Quote:
yes, and don't you think a few hatching eggs would be awesome?

 

[Sjisty]

By the way, Kim - Welcome to BYC! I love broody chickens - they work much better than my incubators.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Quote:
great minds think alike!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
great minds think alike!

Hehe! At the exact same time, too.