Egg Laying Hens

[rosemarythyme]

She sounds broody to me. You need to decide if you want her to hatch, or if you want to break it.

If you want to break the broodiness:
Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

 

[WallyG74]

When I got the eggs yesterday, it was like she was sleeping on them. I was late getting the eggs yesterday with the holidays and the adult beverages and all. So she was roosting. But this morning, I'm sure we have eggs but I saw her out in the run.

I think our terminology may be a bit off here. If she’s sleeping on eggs, she’s not roosting. Roosts are poles or boards high up from the floor in the coop where they sleep. It should be the highest point the chicken can reach. They feel safe up high while they sleep. They need nests to lay eggs in. Not just on the floor. The nests should be lower than the roost.