I've had chickens for quite awhile now and have raised many chicks, both with and without mother hens, but today I witnessed something I have never seen before. I have a year-old Buff Orp sitting eggs for the first time. She is sequestered in her own coop, which prevents her or any other hen from getting in or out. This morning, there was a newly-laid egg on the ground! Admittedly, it is a bit darker than her usual (more like a light chocolate seen from my BCMs), but it it has to be from her. She is still very broody, and her eggs are due in a week or so. Has anyone else seen or heard of something like this?