Is my hen egg bound? Or is it a false alarm?

[AnonPaperclip]

So, on my last post, I said that my pullet started laying for the first time. Yesterday, I noticed she had gone down into the run about a minute after I took the picture (I might have only spooked her) but not long after she went down into the run to watch me go back inside, she went back into the coop again and didn't come out. I suspected she was on the nesting box again, because she was in there for quite a while. Are there any signs of a hen being egg bound? When she went onto the nest the first time, her comb and waddle were red, while her face was pale-ish, but I'm pretty sure thats normal because it normally happens with the other pullets when I sit with them in the run (I guess it's pale because they aren't stressed out by me sitting with them.)
Since my parents were on a trip, I had to stay at my grandma's house overnight. Before going to school today, we went to the house to check on the animals (a dog, a cat, a fish, and of course the chickens) I checked the nesting box for any eggs and only found one from my dark colored Faverolle sitting next to the ceramic eggs. Is my leghorn egg bound? Or was it not time yet?

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

My chickens take FOREVER to lay! Also, when they have only been laying for a day or too, they tend to skip days, and hang out in the nesting box. An egg bound chicken will stand up tall, waddle like a penguin, or hunch over on the ground; tail down. (Did I get them right?) You can give her crushed oyster shells or crushed egg shells. (Free choice) Make sure that she is eating a high quality layer feed, too. Just keep an eye on her behavior and update us later!

 

[jvls1942]

relax, egg bound is very rare.
I have had thousands of chickens in my life time and never had an egg bound one.
chickens don't just go into the nest, lay an egg and come out. some just enjoy sitting there for a long time thinking about it.
so don't stand around for the egg to be laid.
it is like watching the pot for the water to boil.

........jiminwisc.........

 

[aart]

Symptoms of egg binding are usually a hen that walks like a penguin(tail down shuffle) and other symptoms of illness.
Some layers especially new ones can be in and out, sit in the nest for a time then come out then go back then.....sit some more, then....eventually they'll lay.

 

[AnonPaperclip]

Im a bit less worried now! When I get back home, I'll check on her first. I've given them crushed eggshells once (from their own eggs) and, out of all 6 of them, Im sure she ate the most (she LOVES treats, especially grapes and mealworms)

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

"sit in thenest for a time then come out then go back then.....sit somemore, then....eventually they'll lay."

That's my 2 1/2 Yr.Old EE hen.

She likes to sit in there, come out, do it two more times, and then lay.


Oh, my Aussie's faveroite quirk is to start clucking like she has to lay, You know, That annoyed sounding cluck that they make when someone is already in the boxes?
Well, she does it EVEN when someone ISN'T in the box!

 

[AnonPaperclip]

"sit in thenest for a time then come out then go back then.....sit somemore, then....eventually they'll lay."

That's my 2 1/2 Yr.Old EE hen.

She likes to sit in there, come out, do it two more times, and then lay.


Oh, my Aussie's faveroite quirk is to start clucking like she has to lay, You know, That annoyed sounding cluck that they make when someone is already in the boxes?
Well, she does it EVEN when someone ISN'T in the box!

Maybe she's mad because someone else came in and rearranged the nesting material that she's worked so hard to make perfect ^^

 

[Patinas]

Most of my hens get in the nest box, do their thing, sing a song and go about their business. I have some that are very quiet layers and some very loud. Then there are a few that just like sitting in the nest boxes for a couple hours before and after laying. I often see them sound asleep in the boxes and perfectly content to just sit there.

I have some that will share their nest box with a buddy and a couple that warn everyone and everything to back off while they are in there. I had no idea chickens can growl and when I hear it, I know they mean it!

I also have a few that seem to have a lot of anxiety over which box to lay in. They go in the coop, squawk a lot and check out all the boxes, go in and out of the coop several times repeating the ritual until they finally choose one and settle in.

As far as I can tell, all of this is normal laying behavior and each hen has her own routine when it comes to the business of egg laying.

I agree with the other posters that if a hen is egg bound she will exhibit stress signs like being listless, head down, tail down, walking funny, etc.

 

[AnonPaperclip]

Most of my hens get in the nest box, do their thing, sing a song and go about their business. I have some that are very quiet layers and some very loud. Then there are a few that just like sitting in the nest boxes for a couple hours before and after laying. I often see them sound asleep in the boxes and perfectly content to just sit there.

I have some that will share their nest box with a buddy and a couple that warn everyone and everything to back off while they are in there. I had no idea chickens can growl and when I hear it, I know they mean it!

I also have a few that seem to have a lot of anxiety over which box to lay in. They go in the coop, squawk a lot and check out all the boxes, go in and out of the coop several times repeating the ritual until they finally choose one and settle in.

As far as I can tell, all of this is normal laying behavior and each hen has her own routine when it comes to the business of egg laying.

I agree with the other posters that if a hen is egg bound she will exhibit stress signs like being listless, head down, tail down, walking funny, etc.

Understood. I was just immediatly worried when she got off the nest with out laying. I'm like a worried parent!

 

[aart]

Understood. I was just immediatly worried when she got off the nest with out laying. I'm like a worried parent!

The first year is the hardest, lots to learn for a new chicken keeper.
Make sure they have a good balanced chicken ration....
.....and keep the other foods/treats to a minimum.