Hen laying on eggs after months of laying

[BlackAce]

I have a small flock of chickens ( 1 rooster and 4 hens ), the hens are about 1 to 1 1/2 years old. They all started laying about April recently one of the older hens started laying on the eggs. Now I've always removed the eggs before the hens would sit on them. This started this past week, not sure why all of the sudden she would start doing this when eggs are never left in the coop. I also noticed that today she was laying and went to get the egg from under her, she puffed up like she has been and making noise so that I don't remove the egg but there was no egg under her. After that I moved her out of the way and then noticed she didn't have many feathers on her legs and belly. I picked her up noticed bald patches on her belly and top of the legs. I haven't noticed any feathers in the coop or the run to account for all the lost feathers that are missing on her.


Also, today I went to the coop and get the eggs and I had ZERO eggs from any of my hens. I know that weather and being scared from predators can prevent them from laying. They have been steady laying now for about a month and a half with no issues. So I'm not sure why all of the sudden I have no eggs today.

 

[JeanR]

Leaving eggs in the nest has no effect upon a hen becoming or NOT becoming broody. Hormones and Mother Nature tells a hen when she has layed a "clutch" (number of eggs layed before "setting", varies by every hen). When she is broody it makes no difference if there is an egg in the nest or not. Her puffing up is the good sign that she is ready to be ":broody" until hormones change and she will, after a rest, begin to lay another "clutch". Other hens may just be taking a "rest" to rebuild the calcium drain in their systems, and then, they, too, will begin to lay again.

Some breeds of chickens never become "broody"--bred out of the strain (Red Stars, other breeds "made" just for laying, rarely "set"). They use up their systems in just a year or 2, maybe 3 by almost continuous egg production--and are in Commercial flocks, then go into dog food or other products, and are replaced by new pullets for egg production.

Removing her from getting into the next box--NO nesting material, just food and water--for maybe a week, may return her to normal and still a wait before she lays again. Good luck