How long?

[jemagsy]

I stopped my last hen from free-ranging and locked her in the coop with our two little ones (they're almost 9 weeks). All three of them are getting along fine, the two younger ones tend to stay on the other side of the pen and have not really socialized with her. I assume they will sort things out in time.

My question is this. In the eight days Betty has been in the pen she has not laid any eggs. She is not molting and not broody, just defiant I guess?? She is around 3-4 years old and has laid before, but like I said she hasn't laid in a week's time and she was missing for six days before that.

 

[MissPrissy]

She was missing for 6 days? And she has been locked up for 8 days?

She could have been broody sitting on a nest and came back for food when you locked her up. If so the nest would be dead now.

Broody hens don't lay when they sit and only start back laying when the hatchlings are about 5 - 6 weeks old.

 

[jemagsy]

Our roo is only 8.5 weeks old and she didn't have access to the younger chicks before this incident. Plus we have had a real time this year with things raiding her nests and eating the eggs. With all that I wasn't even thinking of a broody nest, and leghorn/ees don't usually go broody do they?

If she was broody what will we need to do to get her laying again? I put a golf ball in the nest box but she hasn't even messed with it... should I do more than one? Or is it just a matter of time and if so about how long?