Hen quit laying

[Ky_RIR]

When we got our hen she had 4 babies and an orphan baby on her. About 3-4 weeks ago she started laying again, 1 egg a day. Well, just in the last 4 days or so she hasn't laid any. Is this normal? She hasn't lost any feathers that we've seen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Generally hens prone to going broody aren't the best layers. They lay and quit throughout the season, going broody multiple times a year. So it sounds normal from my experiences.

 

[Ky_RIR]

I'm new to chickens...what does going broody mean exactly?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm new to chickens...what does going broody mean exactly?

It's a hormonal state where a hen wants to hatch eggs. Most hens just lay and leave their eggs these days. The instinct to hatch and brood has been bred out of them.

Some hens still retain the natural instinct to lay a clutch of eggs than set them until they hatch. It's called going broody.

A broody hen will often puff up, and screech when disturbed. She will stay on the nest nearly 24 hours a day, getting off once a day to eat drink, dust bath and poop.

If you don't want a hen to hatch who has gone broody you generally need to put her in a wire bottom crate slightly elevated off the ground to cool her off and shut those hormones down.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

When we got our hen she had 4 babies and an orphan baby on her.

How long ago did you get her and how old were her chicks??

 

[Ky_RIR]

Welcome to BYC!

How long ago did you get her and how old were her chicks??

We got her about 2 months ago. The chicks were about 3 weeks old. She was laying 1 egg a day until about 5 days ago and just quit.

 

[aart]

Are these your only chickens?
She probably 'weaned' the chicks(stopped sleeping with them, stopped 'feeding' them, started chasing them away from her) just before she started laying again.
She may go broody now.
Do you free range?

 

[Ky_RIR]

That's exactly what she did. As soon as they "weaned" she started laying. Yes these are the only ones we have. The have a fairly large coop. They have nesting boxes that's in an enclosed area and a large area that's enclosed with wire that they can roam around in.

 

[aart]

Asked about free ranging hoping she was laying out there somewhere.
Time will tell if she settles down to go broody again.
She'll spend most the day and all night on the nest.

 

[Ky_RIR]

She stays out roaming in the wire part most of the day. She sit in the nesting box all night