Hen taking hours to lay

[calichicken]

Hi! I have a Bantum Cochin that has been laying eggs for going on 3 months now. Until the last few weeks she has been laying fine...sets for an hour and lays her egg and goes on her way! Now she is setting for 2-3 hours before she lays her egg and she does lay everytime she sets. Should I be concerned? She makes her screeching noise every now and then during the 2-3 hrs. Just want to make sure she is ok. She is now a year old and my first chicken

 

[chickenfarmgirl]

you might want to check and see if her vent is plugged or swollen. Other then that I have a few chickens who screech for about 1-2 hours too.
bottom line: i wouldn't be to concerned unless her vent is swollen.
ps. also check and see if she has another egg stuck down lower.

 

[Majd]

Hi and welvome to BYC! I think your baby girl is preparing herself to go broody.... that what my lap chicken did for the past 8 weeks!!.... increasing the time of sitting until she finally went full broody 19days ago and set her on 15 eggs.... now down to 12 (infertile and blood ring...etc).... she's also about to become one year old!! But that's her second clutch.... she hatched 3 chicks out of 3 eggs of her own.... she's so cute and I lpve her to bits.... because this girl I hand raised her... soo tame.... my lap doll... so if you want ur baby to become a mommy... get her some fertile eggs of your choice... about ten is enough for her size....
I love stories about owning one spoiled chicken... (between I have many chickens)
Please keep us updated.....I'm so following this thread!!!

♡

 

[calichicken]

Thanks for your help! Everything looks healthy, so maybe her egg laying behaviors are changing a bit. Also starting to wonder if she may be going broody because she is not moving right off her egg like she used too.

 

[Majd]

Yeah this is probably it.... preparation for broodiness

 

[calichicken]

Pretty sure that's it. Today she laid her egg and settled right down on it

She really squawked at me when I finally moved her out of her nest!!! But with a little worm bribery, she was on her way into the yard. If she stays determined to be a momma, I am going to look into getting her some fertile Bantam eggs to hatch. Feel bad for her if she really wants to be a momma

 

[Majd]

Ohhhh so cute..... ahhaha you're surprised that your beloved sweety pie became a furious protective momma in such a short time... lol... don't worry she'll be back as normal after she finishes her duties (incubatig and raising chicks)... trust me.... your beloved pullet might stay broody fir long periods (trust me on that) and may harm her health doing this.... so I think it's better to give her some fertile eggs to hathh and raise.... that will take approximately tow to three months (incubation and staying with chicks) but it depends on the hen... it might take aa bit longer or shorter... better than leaving her sit for that long on and empty nestpputting her health at risk and not receiving eggs.... do lots of research about broodies... and on the Breed (s) you're gonna get eggs from..... that way you won't be disappointed when the chicks grow up.... if u like bantams (u sure seem do) and want docile good laying not flighty or wild breed... it's better to go to bantam orpingtons or cochins or even silkies!!! (Who doesn't like silkies) but if u don't want frequent future broodies... try researching for good laying calm breeds that don't go broody often..... and if don't wanna handle too many chickens get her as few eggs as you desire... lots of folks around backyard chickens would love to ship eggs to you from various breeds... .research for all the breeds and pick what suits you best.....
If your local ordinances doesn't allow roosters, remember that some boys might hatch from the eggs and you'll have to deal with them whem they grow up (butchering/selling/rehoming)....
If you only want girls.... you can order day old girl chicks from any breed u like from a hatchery (research for that too) and u can quickly slip them under her at night and she most likely will adopt the and raise them as her own...
(But in my opinion it's a magical experience watching your pet hatching her own eggs and these fluffy fuzz balls hatching from under her... if you local ordinances allow roosters/or if u can deal with them when grown up)!!!
Best of luck in whatever you choose to do.... but you sure have to keep us posted for updates!!!!

 

[calichicken]

Will do! I have already started researching and definitely LOVE Bantams and will stick with these eggs. Watching her now to see how determined she is. Right now she seems to be trying to sit on her eggs every other day. When she does, I get her off her nest and out and about. I don't want her sitting when there are no babies to hatch. And I agree...seeing her hatch her own would be amazing!!!!!

 

[Majd]

That's gonna be soo exciting.... great idea to wait for her to fully go broody (about 3 days and nights in a row are enough) and then let the waiting game of 21 days begin.... please keep us posted for any updates...
She might lay a few more eggs who knows...