Chicken Question for you experts

[the gab]

I have read through all of your FAQ’s and can’t find the question I have. I hope you can help. One of my hens has been laying in her nesting box, not laying, and not doing anything else. I thought she was perhaps egg bound and we did all the treatments suggested. Never really felt an egg in her abdomen. Then I thought maybe she is broody, but she is not laying on any eggs. The other hens are laying in a different nesting box. This has been going on for over 2 weeks. When I pick her up and put her on the ground with the other chickens she walks around, pecks for food, seems perfectly healthy. But after about half an hour she is back in the box. Any ideas on what this could be?
Thanks so much,
Karen

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Sounds like she is broody. A broody hen doesn't have to set on any eggs to be broody. They will brood their feet if nothing else is available! Does she growl at you and fluff up when you try to remove her from the box? Does she cluck cluck cluck all over the place when she is out of the box? Does she leave you stinky poops? These are the signs of broodiness. When the hormones turn on, they head right for a nest box and set there until it passes or they hatch chicks.

Enjoy your flock and we do welcome you to ours!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

TwoCrows might be right. You might try posting the question in the "Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying" forum for more responses. Glad you joined!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/18/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! X3, you could very well have a broody, they don't need to have eggs to set on, they will brood nothing. There are some nice articles in the Learning Center on broody hens https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens

 

[gander007]

X 4 yep a broody