Help my chicken might be eggbound

[Alex S]

I found my chicken still laying in the nesting box and she has (to my knowledge) been in there since 3:40. How do I tell if she is egg bound or possibly broody?

 

[Alex S]

I found my chicken still laying in the nesting box and she has (to my knowledge) been in there since 3:40. How do I tell if she is egg bound or possibly broody?

Update/extra info: she squaks whenever you get near her, and I picked her up and didn't feel an egg (not sure what I'm feeling for though) I moved her to a different part of the coop and she is just laying down

 

[Alex S]

 

[Sussex19]

If she puffs up at you, maybe making screechy noises then she is broody. Also, and this is my favorite way but is a bit unproven is if you reach under her does she tuck herself around your hand.

 

[Sussex19]

Is she interested in food?

 

[Alex S]

If she puffs up at you, maybe making screechy noises then she is broody. Also, and this is my favorite way but is a bit unproven is if you reach under her does she tuck herself around your hand.

She puffs up but does not try to peck my hand. She does squack

 

[Alex S]

Is she interested in food?

Yes

 

[Sussex19]

She puffs up but does not try to peck my hand. She does squack

Yes

To me it sounds like she's broody.

 

[Alex S]

To me it sounds like she's broody.

Ok. She has been very gentle with me if she is. What are my next steps?

 

[Sussex19]

Ok. She has been very gentle with me if she is. What are my next steps?

My broody hens tend to be very gentle with me as well. I think the puffing up is something that they only do when broody, at least when one of my hens was egg bound she never did that.
Do you want her to hatch chicks, or not?