Layer acting Strange.......Advice Please

[mtnhomechick]

I have a layer who has been in the nesting box with NO egg under her for two days. She's not even coming out to eat or drink. Yesterday I wrestled her out for a few minutes and she did eat and drink but went right back in the box. Her poop looked ok........eyes are clear, crop is fine, no nasal drainage. She appears healthy to me. I don't have a rooster but am wondering if she's broody. I have never had a broody before.

Anyone know what this might be?

 

[mtnhomechick]

Anyone??

 

[lockedhearts]

Broody Hen.

 

[SunAngel]

I freaked when my White Bantam Cochin did the same thing, but was trying to hatch 2 golf balls. Came running inside to ask the advice of BYC'rs. 18 days later she is still sitting on 7 eggs that another BYC'r gave me to put under her. I am hoping they hatch in the next few days!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Definitely broody, and it doesn't matter if they have eggs or not. Once they fall under that hypnotic spell, they will try to hatch dust.

 

[mtnhomechick]

Both yesterday and just this morning I " Kicked " her out to at least eat and drink. Otherwise she's not even doing that. Also she appears like she's yawning all the time and is constantly preening when I kicked her out to feed. She was really mad at me for taking her out but I was concerned that she might dehydrate. Chickens are wierd! I didn't know they would go broody if there's not a roo.

 

[Badhbh]

She'll sit there until the cows come home unless you break her broodiness or give her something to hatch. Breaking can be done in several ways- teh referred seems to be to put broodies in a wire bottomed cage.

 

[dustbath]

Are you sure she isn't eating or drinking? When mine go broody, they can be very stubborn and look as if they aren't leaving the box. But I'm told they sneak out when no one is looking. I often break down and hand feed them in the box.

Sometimes I can break their broody spell by removing the nesting box and putting an obstacle where it was (otherwise they sometimes go back to sit there as if the nest were still in place). Mine generally stop when the nights get long.

 

[catlikethief]

I agree, she sounds broody. I have a young RIR who went broody a month after she started laying. She's plucked out her chest feathers and camps out in her nesting box everyday to hatch her golf balls.
I have to break her trance and take her out every morning. At first she was terribly upset with me interrupting her but now she just passes dirty looks and goes on with her foraging.

Problem solved until the next day!

 

[mtnhomechick]

I tried putting one of my baby chicks under her but she didn't act impressed. It was cute how the chick layed under her wing though. DH said that was probably dangerous and anyway the chick needs starter food that's in the other coup. Then I tried putting HER in with the babies and she went nuts in there.

She's back in her nesting box..........crabbing at everyone. WOW..........wonder what I can do to get her back to normal.

I am 90 % sure she's not getting out to eat or drink on her own since I spend so much time in there.