Hen not laying eggs but in the box all day and night

[linguini]

We don’t have a roo so there’s nothing to hatch, but I was reading another post that suggests putting her in “broody jail” like a dog crate, which I do already have. I think I’ll do this so that I can force her to eat and drink...it’s been way too hot for her to sit in the coop not drinking.

We had a couple chickens that went broody (some more than once). We don't have any crate to use, so the only thing I could do was constantly chase them out of the nesting box, closed the nesting boxes an hour before they go to bed, and restored the box after they roost - so other hens can lay early next morning.
I found that picking them up from the nesting box and put them on the ground (sudden temperature change, perhaps?) worked sometimes. Typically it took them 2 weeks to resume egg laying.

 

[lunahills]

Thanks for all the info. My next question is, is this cruel for me to stop her natural instinct? Like am I messing her up somehow?

 

[PoultryCQ]

Thanks for all the info. My next question is, is this cruel for me to stop her natural instinct? Like am I messing her up somehow?

No

 

[Painted Calls]

Thanks for all the info. My next question is, is this cruel for me to stop her natural instinct? Like am I messing her up somehow?

It's cruel to let them sit and deteriorate for no reason. So no, it's not. You will be doing her a favor.

 

[PoultryCQ]

It's cruel to let them sit and deteriorate for no reason. So no, it's not. You will be doing her a favor.

Agreed, broody hens may die during the summer.

 

[lunahills]

Agreed, broody hens may die during the summer.

That’s what I’m worried about. I found it strange she would sit on nothing and not eat or drink.

 

[Painted Calls]

That’s what I’m worried about. I found it strange she would sit on nothing and not eat or drink.

That's how a true broody behaves and why it is so important to break them if they're not hatching.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Depending on her brooding tendency/frequency this can become a perpetual battle.

Some breeds go broody easily and often like silkies and bantam cochins.

Be prepared to have to break the cycle again as needed.

 

[Little Baby Bean]

No it does not mess them up at all when you break them. Have you been taking her out at all to eat or has she been jumping out herself and eating?

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

When first going broody hens will lay a big clutch of their last eggs. They expect to be able to sit on them, but when their eggs are collected then they will sit on nothing. And all broodies stop laying eggs once they go broody.

None of my hens have ever done that. They might lay one or two eggs after they get broody, but usually when they get broody the eggs are gone pretty quick.