Frightened Chicken

[Pye and Papa]

Sunny, my 1 year old Orpington, stopped laying eggs one week ago and has chosen to stay in her nesting box.
She will not come out to eat or drink and I am becoming quite concerned.
Is she brooding, or could something have frightened her so badly that she will not come outside?
(She was always the first one out in the morning and the last one in at night and was always very playful and social)
I have a chain-link kennel I put her in everyday so she has fresh air and sunshine. And the opportunity to eat without being disturbed by my 5 RIR's and Polish Rooster.
Any information that you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

She's probably broody. You can try to "break" her if you don't want her to hatch eggs, or you could let her have some fertile eggs and wait for chicks!

 

[SallyF]

Have you tried to lift her out of the nest box? If so, does she cluck or growl at you and raise her neck feathers? If she does, she's broody. If you take a broody out of the nest, she will also ruffle up her feathers and cluck as she walks around. She'll stay out for a few minutes and then get right back in the nest and settle down.

 

[Kittymomma]

Given that she's an orp I'd guess she's broody. Is she all flattened out in the nest. She should come off for a short time every day or two to have a quick bite to eat, a drink, maybe a dust bath and to deposit a huge stinky mess of broody poo.

If you're not sure try offering her an egg or two. A broody girl will usually tuck the egg(s) under her, maybe coo at them a bit and settle over them.

 

[Pye and Papa]

She doesn't cluck or make noise when I lift to take her out but she has been puffed up . If she is broody how long will she be like this and will she come back to her playful self soon?
Thanks for the info.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

She is an ORP and it is late spring so yep you got a Broody hen no worries yes she will come back to her playful self once she is done brooding.
How long it takes is hard to say they differ so much but if you got eggs to hatch now is your chance if not you need to break her so she will lay again asap but with roos around if she has any eggs in the nest and has been in the run with the roos chance are you will have chicks if she is sitting on eggs.

Good luck to you

 

[Pye and Papa]

Thank you all for the advice and information. I feel so much better I have decided best to leave her to nature.
Thanks again:/