eggs have stopped

[ub1243]

since i am new to chickens, not sure what is going on.
last week one of my two hens started to stay in the nest box and not go up on the roost at night. she stopped laying.
now she sits there all day, no eggs under her. been going on a solid week.

two days ago my other hen decides to do the same, in the same box.
they are both in there all day and night now. not feeding as much, not roosting at night. and not laying eggs.
they are both aggressive to me. when i check for eggs they now peck and bite me. they throw a lot of aggressive talk my way when i get close to the pen.

what is going on?

 

[nanaluvsgps]

sounds like Broodiness! it's just lovely to deal with a broody hen put some fertile eggs under and and you might get some baby chickens. But it's a bit weird that she isn't laying any eggs and gone broody :I might have to ask someone with a bit more knowledge!

 

[ub1243]

that is what through me, she is sitting on nothing. then her partner in crime is honoring her broody-ness.

 

[Chemguy]

Sounds like they are broody. If you move them out of the nest box, do they seem dazed? That was true in my flock, two went broody at the same time. They sat on an empty nest day after day. When another hen laid an egg, they would move to that box. We had plenty of extra space in the coop and run, so we bought some chicks for one broody and she took to them. Both are now off the nest (10 days). If you can't/don't want to do that, and want to break her, there are plenty of ideas for breaking a broody on this site.

 

[HappyHenMama]

I have two 3 week old chicks and I also have a broody bantam. She hasn't come out of her nest for 3 days and I'm worried about her. She is in a coop with one other hen and one rooster. Can I introduce the babys to my hen that so clearly wants to be a momma without worrying that my Black Rock will kill them? Should I try to move the broody to another pen first? I'm not sure what to do, but I am very worried about her. I tried to hand feed her yesterday and she didn't touch it.

Sorry if I hijacked this thread. The answer from Chemguy gave me the idea of offering chicks to the broody. Good luck to you and your broodys and let us know what happens.

 

[DamselinFlannel]

My bantam Cochins did that right before they started laying. Very good little mothers.

If my larger hens have been laying in the nesting box all day, my Leghorn rooster will pop in there and lay down, too. Causes quite a ruckus with the hens. I have to go chase him out.

 

[ub1243]

thanks.
sounds like nothing to worry about then.

 

[ub1243]

well it's been about 7 days since my girls layed an egg.
they both sit together in a nest box, crammed in there.
i push them out, they yell and curse me out, they grab a quick bite and a drink. i come back ten minutes later and they are back in the box.

this can't go on forever, right?
i am almost done the new chicken tractor. this will give them more room. i will not be placing a nest box in first thing. maybe that will break them.??
they pumped out eggs about every day, now they missed a week. amazing that they can just stop the cycle.

normal?

 

[Cotton42]

Here is a good blog post on the subject. http://blog.mypetchicken.com/2012/02/15/your-hen-is-broody-now-what/ Good luck!

 

[ub1243]

this is my broody hen(golden) and her buddy.
maybe she will go back to normal when she goes into the new tractor.
getting a few more girls also.

i just want the eggs to come back every day.