Egg bound or broody?

[Sky_Chickens]

Hello!

I’m a new chicken keeper and one of my Barred Rock hens (7 months, Pepper is her name) has been acting a little strange, it started with her not letting me pick her up or hang out around her. She’s normally super friendly and sweet then I found her still sitting on the nesting box instead of free ranging, then for the next three nights I found her sitting on the nesting box moving her vent like she was going to lay but she never did. I took her in yesterday and gave her a epson salt bath and put some oil around and in her vent. During that time she pooped in the bathroom and it looked completely normal and then tried to just lay down on the floor like she would on eggs whenever I stopped holding her eventually I took her back outside after drying her off and she drank and ate like normal then went back into the nesting box and sat on her eggs.

This morning I went back out to check on her and she was still on her eggs straining almost non-existent and letting me love on her. There was another barred rock hen in the box next to her and when I walked in she made a thrilling sound but she wasn’t aggressive. Eventually I took an egg and placed it under Pepper and she tucked it under herself. I felt around and couldn’t feel an egg in her. I did the same with both. This evening I came back and some time during the day they must have gotten up to eat and drink because they switched places. The other Barred rock still thrilled at me and there was still no lump in near the vent. It’s about to be winter where I am but it doesn’t get too cold out here. I really hope I’m overreacting because I love Pepper. Any help would be appreciated

Here’s a picture of them

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

They are both broody. Either break them or give them eggs. If you don't have a rooster and you want chicks; buy hatching eggs or put clay eggs under them and start shopping for new hatches in the next 3 weeks. Wait until night and slip the baby chicks under them.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is it getting cold where you live? I would wait until spring to give them eggs to hatch, if you have a rooster when they would be fertile. Take the eggs out now. Even if you want to hatch eggs, they should be collected until the day you want to start sitting, date them, and then place them all at the same time. That way they hatch all at once. I would break their broodiness by placing them in a large pen or crate with no bedding. Add food and water. A roost is good if the pen is large enough. It takes at least 3 to 5 days.