Hen won't leave coop, sitting on unfertilized egg all day. Help!

[Bobmagno]

My 1 year old hen started sitting on her egg last night and has never left the coop since.
I took the egg in the morning but she never moved from that spot and laid another one.
She even took the other hen's egg and sat on it too. When I try to get close she puffs up and makes some king of clucking sound. usually she is really really friendly and let u pet her.
I'm concerned because this is really weird and it seems like she's not eating nor drinking.
The other hen we have(2 total) is absolutely normal.
Does anybody have an idea?
Thank you!
-R-

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Sounds broody to me.

 

[Bobmagno]

I think you're right! I read the thread about broody chickens and it sounds like that's what's going on with our hen!
Thank you so much, tomorrow we ll try to get her out to see how she does.
-R-

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I think you're right! I read the thread about broody chickens and it sounds like that's what's going on with our hen!
Thank you so much, tomorrow we ll try to get her out to see how she does.
-R-

You are welcome!

You can remove her from the nest when you do your chores, and she will fluff up like a turkey, cluck, and do her broody poo/eat/drink.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! X2, sounds like you have a broody hen, if you do not want to have her hatch eggs, you may want to go ahead and "break" her of being broody since they can keep it up for months (and they won't lay eggs when they are broody)... the Learning Center article has some good info on how to discourage broodys https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Yep, you have a broody! You can leave her be to either get over it, or keep removing her from the nest in hopes of breaking her. You can try the broody dunk in cold water, (to cool the brood patch) or keep her in an elevated cage off the floor, (also to cool the brood patch) or you can even keep them somewhere else for a few days away from the coop completely out of sight. I have never successfully broken a truly determined broody. If their hormones are really raging, sometimes there is no stopping them. But sometimes if you just let them be, on the nest, with NO eggs to set on, sometimes they give up in a week and go back to laying.

Good luck with your broody and welcome to our flock!

 

[gander007]

Get some fertile egg's and let her hatch them .......

 

[Bobmagno]

Thank you all so much for your help. BYC is amazing!
We decided we'll get a few fertile eggs and see what happens. We have a lot of room and only two hens. I'll keep you posted!
-R-

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Good luck with the hatch!

 

[gander007]

Thank you all so much for your help. BYC is amazing!
We decided we'll get a few fertile eggs and see what happens. We have a lot of room and only two hens. I'll keep you posted!
-R-

Oh ya please keep us posted as I am sure others would like reading about your Poultry venture