Is my pullet broody?

[Juliacone35]

My sapphire gem is 18-19 weeks old. She laid 2 eggs so far. But her last one was laid July 20th. Ever since then, she has been laying in the nesting box every day but doesn’t lay. She pants in there and seems to stay in there for an hour or more. She had one soft shelled egg come out about 4 days ago. I gave her crushed egg shells and she has free choice oyster shell. She acts normal. When I put my hand in the nesting box she just looks at it. She doesn’t make sounds or fluff up or try to peck me. Is it possible she is broody (since she is laying on a golf ball I have in there) and waiting for another egg to pop out? Is it common for a pullet to lay an egg or two and then go weeks without laying another? Here is a picture of her in the nesting box today

 

[JedJackson]

A broody would stay on the nest, not leave after an hour. They can also be told by fluffed out feathers and constant cluck cluck clucking.

It is odd that she stopped laying at that age, after laying only a few eggs. Is she getting good, nutritionally balanced rations as available from layer feed? Is she getting too many treats? Is she stressed out in any way, or does she have lice or mites? These are things I can think of off the top of my head as to why she might not be laying. She looks perfectly healthy otherwise.

 

[Juliacone35]

A broody would stay on the nest, not leave after an hour. They can also be told by fluffed out feathers and constant cluck cluck clucking.

It is odd that she stopped laying at that age, after laying only a few eggs. Is she getting good, nutritionally balanced rations as available from layer feed? Is she getting too many treats? Is she stressed out in any way, or does she have lice or mites? These are things I can think of off the top of my head as to why she might not be laying. She looks perfectly healthy otherwise.

She gets an all flock feed since I have a rooster. They are free range all day. I do give them some mealworms / black soldier fly larvae about once a day or every other day. But usually i do 1-2 handfuls for 10 chickens (not too much right?) I have 3 other girls laying right now and they all have nice hard eggs and are consistently laying. She seems to be the only one struggling. I was thinking about giving her tums or calcium citrate, but I’m scared that maybe her body just isn’t wanting to lay right now. I don’t know if it would hurt her to give her the boost of calcium or if I should try it.

 

[Silviaschicks]

Don’t worry if she hangs out for a long time in the nesting box, lots of hens do that

 

[yakitori]

How hot is it over at where you are? My girls pant their heads off during the hotter days this year. Some do spend quite a while in the nesting boxes to lay one egg...

 

[Juliacone35]

How hot is it over at where you are? My girls pant their heads off during the hotter days this year. Some do spend quite a while in the nesting boxes to lay one egg...

I’m in FL so it gets up to 90F. I am not concerned about her panting in the nesting box, just how she lays in it every day and hasn’t laid an egg in over 2 weeks.

 

[Silviaschicks]

It might be worth taking her to the vet if there’s one near you. She could be egg bound or have a disease (of course there’s no need to worry, that’s extreme) but it never hurts to check!

 

[Juliacone35]

She has started laying eggs again. The past 3 days I have gotten one, however it’s a thin, light colored (almost white) shell with little bumps on it. It is pretty rough textured. Does this still indicate calcium deficiency?

 

[Silviaschicks]

they usually have eggs like this (I call them sandpaper eggs) after not laying/laying weird eggs. Give her extra calcium for a little and it should be fine

 

[Juliacone35]

they usually have eggs like this (I call them sandpaper eggs) after not laying/laying weird eggs. Give her extra calcium for a little and it should be fine

Ok! How would you give the extra calcium? Just more egg shells? Or should I do calcium citrate for 3 days? Or something else?