My hen is just sitting in her hen box

[SEPMJR09]

Not sure if this is the correct selection:

I have a hen that won’t leave the nesting box. There were eggs in there she was sitting on (we noticed if we don’t get them fairly quickly she is the only one that lays on them) and all day yesterday (Thursday) and I went their this morning and she’s still sitting in the nesting box. We picked her up and removed the 2 eggs that were there from another hen. I went this morning to see if she came out the box and she’s still in there. I moved her and there still are not anymore eggs for her to lay on. I set her on the floor (we have a custom house built) and she just sits there. Like she won’t stand. I fed her bread to make sure she still wants food she ate it. When the other hens come around she fluffs all out and makes a little sound and ruffles her feathers. She does it at times too when we open the nesting box to check on her. I’ve been told to remove the eggs as fast as you can so they don’t sit on them but she is starting to sit on them. We collect them around 530 everyday when we get home from work. Will she eventually come out of her nesting box and roam again with the flock? I just want to make sure she gets food and water and walks around so nothing happens to her. Is his normal for some hens ? Thanks again!

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

Sounds like you've got yourself a broody hen. The best way to snap them out of it, is to block them from their "nest" and make it as uncomfortable to sit as possible. A method I've read here that people have success with is placing them in something like a dog crate, that has a wire floor. This makes it impossible for them to make a nest. Some will crack after a day some take a couple days. But they're fine if you add food and water, and I'd probably add something for her to perch on so shes not just standing on the mesh base. I'm sure others will chime in soon with better explaination and ideas

 

[Julesstarohio56]

I tried the dog crate method of breaking my broody. I didn’t realize that you need to turn the crate so that the big holes are on the bottom. It was a Houdini moment when I walked in there to see it empty. I gave that idea up and just removed her from the nest each time I saw her and put her on the roost manually each night. It took a while, but two nights ago and since she’s been on the roost and out ranging the yard with the others. Mind you, this girl was broody for probably a month, but she’s just fine. Hope it doesn’t take so long for you.

 

[SEPMJR09]

I tried the dog crate method of breaking my broody. I didn’t realize that you need to turn the crate so that the big holes are on the bottom. It was a Houdini moment when I walked in there to see it empty. I gave that idea up and just removed her from the nest each time I saw her and put her on the roost manually each night. It took a while, but two nights ago and since she’s been on the roost and out ranging the yard with the others. Mind you, this girl was broody for probably a month, but she’s just fine. Hope it doesn’t take so long for you.

Wow! Okay thank you so much! Correction to my post. It was Wednesday she went in there, and was laying on the eggs, and then Thursday still there laying on them (we removed the eggs from under her) and this morning she is still in there. I tried to remove her but she wouldn’t stand. She just sat there still in the nesting posting and fluffed her feathers. Me I was frantic like something was wrong. Glad it’s just a broody hen and we can over come this! Thank you so much!

 

[SEPMJR09]

I tried the dog crate method of breaking my broody. I didn’t realize that you need to turn the crate so that the big holes are on the bottom. It was a Houdini moment when I walked in there to see it empty. I gave that idea up and just removed her from the nest each time I saw her and put her on the roost manually each night. It took a while, but two nights ago and since she’s been on the roost and out ranging the yard with the others. Mind you, this girl was broody for probably a month, but she’s just fine. Hope it doesn’t take so long for you.

Thank you! Okay, glad it’s nothing serious or wrong with her. I’ll try a few of these suggestions from everyone and see if I can get her back out in the yard with the rest of the girls! Correction to post, it was Wednesday she was in there, and she was laying on the eggs. Thursday we checked because she wasn’t out with the other girls and she was still in there. Last night when we came home from work we removed the eggs she was sitting on (she’s the only hen that does this, the others lay and leave haha) this morning we went to check and she’s still in there. I removed her and no eggs, but she didn’t stand so I was frantic something was wrong so I didn’t want her out in the open so I placed her back in the nesting box for shelter.

would it be fine this afternoon to removed her from the coop and put her in the yard to see if I can get her to walk around with the rest of the girls ?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

would it be fine this afternoon to removed her from the coop and put her in the yard to see if I can get her to walk around with the rest of the girls

Yes, it's fine to move her to see if you can get her moving.
If she's broody and you are not planning on hatching eggs, it would be best to break her.
Good suggestions from everyone on breaking methods.

Here's more information about broody behavior and some tips on breaking her.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch/

 

[SEPMJR09]

Yes, it's fine to move her to see if you can get her moving.
If she's broody and you are not planning on hatching eggs, it would be best to break her.
Good suggestions from everyone on breaking methods.

Here's more information about broody behavior and some tips on breaking her.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch/

Thank you!