Chicken staying in nest box

Mr Potatoes

In the Brooder
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Hello, everyone!
I have a 7 month old hen who, for whatever reason, won't leave the nest box. I eventually had to lift her out (there weren't any eggs that she was sitting on) and bring her over the the waterer/feeder. She seemed fine, with no visible markings/scars/spit/etc.
Anyone have any input?
 
She might be broody, and they don't always need an egg to sit on. They tend to gaze off into space like in a trance when broody, and when you remove them, they will usually run back to their nest box clucking, with their tail held in an inverted V shape. Check her over though for illness, by feeling of her crop for being full and hard or puffy and not emptying overnight. Check for lice or mites near her vent or elsewhere on her skin. You can insert a finger inside her vent an inch or two for a stuck egg. Make sure that she gets out to eat and drink, since broodies will only get off the nest once or twice a day. If it is winter where you live, and she is broody, you will need to try and break her, since hatching eggs in winter is not a good idea.
 
Ok! Yeah, it is getting colder around here, with temps. almost reaching 20 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. I'll check for mites and lice, and do you have any advice for how to get her to stop being broody?

Thanks again!
 
A covered dog pen with a homemade roost and dirt or grass floor is what I use. I place a friend there for company, and feed them some chopped eggs with a bit of yogurt plus their usual feed each day. Having a little scratch once in awhile keeps them scratching around. They seem to break in a bout 5 days that way. I have used a cage, but it may take a couple of attempts. The main thing is to prevent them from nesting to cool their bottoms off, and the roost helps at night.
 
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