Is this normal?

[chickenlover24]

My RIR has been in the nesting box for several hours and is still in there past dark with no egg. I petted her to try to get her to get up and get on the roost and she didnt move for awhile then finally got out of that box and went to another. It kind of sounds like she is wheezing but cant really tell if its actual wheezing or her just making noises.

 

[satay]

She is probably broody. If you don't wish for her to hatch eggs you will just have to move her each day til she snaps out of her broodiness.

 

[Lacy Blues]

You can pick her up and listen to her breathing to know if she really is wheezing.

Some hens are really determined to be mamas. I had a bantam RIR that wanted to be one so bad she drove me crazy. I moved her several times, I read that dunking them in cold water will thwart it... I did it three different times. I even moved her to a new coop twice and she STILL wanted to be a mama. So, I broke down and let her hatch a couple eggs. They sit in there for 3 weeks solid, not counting all the time you spend trying to break them of it and they get lighter and lighter. So I figured, I'd rather have her healthy and hatch out a chick, even if it is a little too cold than to lose her. What's one more chicken, right?

So I gave her two eggs, in case something happened to one of them. She hatched out both of them and was very very happy. She kept the babies plenty warm. An excellent mama!

 

[chickenlover24]

Will they do that with no egg at all? This morning she is out of the nesting box and she isnt wheezing.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Yes they will, it's a biological condition that comes upon them. If she keeps it up and its not too cold and you can't break her of it, you could give her some eggs to hatch.

 

[chickenlover24]

I wish i could but we cant have anymore chickens