Is my hen being extra broody or is she sick

[Darcy414]

My rock buff, Goldie has been in the nest box for days now. I have taken her out and she poops and eats a little something and then goes right back in a nesting box. She also has not laid an egg since she started doing this. It’s been about a week. I check on them twice a day. Make sure there water and food are full. She’s in thebox every time. Today she had diarrhea and she doesn’t look so good and is very pale. I let the other girls out in the run so she could have some peace and quite for a bit. They eat fruits, vegetables, grains, oatmeal with molasses for a treat and their regular feed. I’m getting worried. Should I take her to the vet or wait it out?
She will be 1 in May.

 

[Shadowfire]

Does she have a bare spot on her breast, and does she fluff her feathers or growl if you try to touch the nest box? If so she's probably broody and you don't need to worry.

 

[azygous]

Molasses causes diarrhea. But it's possible this hen is sick. Hens that don't feel well like to rest in a nest box to avoid having other chickens pick on them as chickens will do to the sick and weak.

As @Jessie The Chicken Lover pointed out, broody hens have distinct behavior. The only way to prevent a hen from sitting in a nest for the next month is to place her in an open mesh bottom cage for a few days and nights to break her broody hormones.

 

[PirateGirl]

If you don't plan on hatching eggs...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-break-a-broody-hen.65588/

 

[aart]

They eat fruits, vegetables, grains, oatmeal with molasses for a treat and their regular feed.

Cut out all but the regular feed and plain water.
What is her regular feed?
I'd put her in a crate to observe her ins and outs....and then maybe to break her broodiness.

I'd isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.