Hen not leaving nest box

[atechieboss]

I've seen hens sit in other circumstances: once in the coop, so I poked her to see if she would flinch/move; she didn't. She had died. The second time a hen was sitting outside in same place on second day. First day I didn't bother her; she was alive but, second day, I definitely investigated. She had died. Another time a Bantam was sitting quietly in a shed so I investigated and she had an upper respiratory problem so I brought her inside and started her on VetRX but she died later that day. Sitting for a long period doesn't always mean broody here; it usually means trouble.

 

[path.otto]

My BO, who is usually the sweetest thing will puff up, put her head down and stomp around growling at anyone and anything that gets in her way. I'll put her in solitary confinement for a couple of days and she's fine...until the next time.

 

[C. Conner]

This is my sweet Black Australorp. She isn't 2 yrs old yet but she has gone broody 4 times (including 4 days ago). Keeping her in isolation in a wire cage doesn't always break her. Last year it took 19 days. I don't have a rooster and don't need her to set on eggs. I may decide to give her to a friend who wants a broody hen!

 

[aart]

This is my sweet Black Australorp. She isn't 2 yrs old yet but she has gone broody 4 times (including 4 days ago). Keeping her in isolation in a wire cage doesn't always break her. Last year it took 19 days. I don't have a rooster and don't need her to set on eggs. I may decide to give her to a friend who wants a broody hen!

Might want to move the crate around some.....I had serial broody and had to move her to shade several times a day during one summer heat wave, I think the change of scenery helped.
In the end I gave her to someone who wanted a broody, she never went broody again

 

[jodiefoster]

I have a buff who has been in the nest box pretty much all day. I just went out and checked on her and all the other hens are roosting and asleep. She is just sitting there. Usually when I mess with any of my hens in the nesting box they get mad and leave but she won’t. An she isn’t getting mad either. What all do you think it could be? Worries me. I know eggs can get stuck inside and wondered maybe that was it? Not sure how I would get it out. Or I heard maybe hurt foot and she can’t roost?

If she looks well and alert she is broody. Take her out and inspect her for a hurt leg or anything else you may suspect for injury. If she is walking well, leave her on the ground remove all eggs and see if she goes back to the box. If she does then she is wanting to hatch some chicks. Unless you can give her a very warm place for the eggs to hatch you will want to take her off any eggs and break the broody cycle. There are excellent articles on this site on how to stop her from sitting on eggs in the winter. The hens do not eat properly when broody so it is important to ensure she doesn't sit there for too many days in the winter.

 

[Vicker]

Those Buffs----the only breed that has done this with me, eggs or no eggs in the nest. I've read about some pretty harsh techniques for "breaking" them. I like to keep them out of the box a little more humanely, but it does usually mean she's isolated from her flock. Once, I just let one stay where she was. She came down to eat and drink enough to keep her alive, but she looked the worse for it. Another time, I was ready to start a new generation. I bought day-old chicks and put them under Miss Broody. She accepted them and raised them for me. When I tried it with a different broody hen, she abandoned them.

 

[Rogers BY Farm]

I have a buff who has been in the nest box pretty much all day. I just went out and checked on her and all the other hens are roosting and asleep. She is just sitting there. Usually when I mess with any of my hens in the nesting box they get mad and leave but she won’t. An she isn’t getting mad either. What all do you think it could be? Worries me. I know eggs can get stuck inside and wondered maybe that was it? Not sure how I would get it out. Or I heard maybe hurt foot and she can’t roost?

Yes. Look up broody behavior. Just for your info we had an egg bound hen a few years ago an got her to expell the egg by carefully injecting some water solvent jelly (ky) in her vent. Don’t break the egg. I always have the supplies on hand- jelly and a catheter tipped syringe.

 

[C. Conner]

Might want to move the crate around some.....I had serial broody and had to move her to shade several times a day during one summer heat wave, I think the change of scenery helped.
In the end I gave her to someone who wanted a broody, she never went broody again

I have moved the crate to different locations and have tried a larger dog crate in a different part of the run. Thank you for your suggestion. It's always good to get other opinions.

 

[Agent99]

This is my sweet Black Australorp. She isn't 2 yrs old yet but she has gone broody 4 times (including 4 days ago). Keeping her in isolation in a wire cage doesn't always break her. Last year it took 19 days. I don't have a rooster and don't need her to set on eggs. I may decide to give

I’m curious about why you wouldn’t just let her go the 3 weeks with fake eggs, rather than trying to break the brood, which just means the hen keeps trying again?

 

[C. Conner]

I’m curious about why you wouldn’t just let her go the 3 weeks with fake eggs, rather than trying to break the brood, which just means the hen keeps trying again?

While she is broody she doesn't lay eggs. I have hens for the eggs not as pets. Once she is laying again she may go 4 or 5 months before going broody again.