how long do hens stay in the nest box to lay an egg?

[OphyliaOrpington]

I've got one that is like a three year old on a car trip! You know, acting like everything is wonderful, just looking around, enjoying the surroundings and her companions, then BLAMO! "Ma, I gotta GO!" Right now, right this second! That's my Beatrice - runs around all day long, exploring, eating, scratching then she's suddenly desperate to get into that coop and on that nest right now! She pops in, drops the egg, then pops right back off and resumes her puttering around right where she left off.

Mathilda, on the other hand, will run around the coop frantically, digging holes, grabbing stuff off the floor to hide herself under, squawk, then jump up and run around to find another hole. Repeat! Finally she'll hop into any empty nest, fluff it, toss feathers and straw onto her back, stand up, sit down, lay down, stand back up and after a couple of hours she'll finally lay her egg. Then she fluffs, makes herself cozy, and looks out daring any other chicken to get close, meaning that nest is off limits to the other girls for another hour or so. Nope, she's not broody - she's been like this since her first egg last summer. It's just the drama queen in her.

(I have a Beatrice also! She’s a jersey giant.) Thanks for the info. Emmaline and Clementine (Buff Orpingtons) are both in the egg box right now. I had to wash large dingleberries off and blow them dry this morning. Everyone seemed fine. They even seemed to like the warm soak and Clementine rotated and lifted her wing for the blow dry. (Hilarious). Anyway it seems they are now struggling to lay. I feel like I’ve done more harm than good and I’m worried.

 

[RcoM]

They love a warm soak and spa day complete with blow dry. But if cool water breaks a broody, does warm water help start one? Just wondering if that's why yours are off the lay

 

[OphyliaOrpington]

They love a warm soak and spa day complete with blow dry. But if cool water breaks a broody, does warm water help start one? Just wondering if that's why yours are off th

 

[OphyliaOrpington]

Both girls nested for about 30/45 minutes longer than they usually do and walked away from very small (smaller than usual) eggs.

 

[Mrs. K]

All of what you are describing is pretty normal. They really are not predictable as to time or size of the egg, and even I have had some color variance. Warm water and a bath, may change the 'when' they lay as in hours, but nothing more. There just is a lot of variance in chickens and laying.