Not laying an egg

[Quail_]

My hen has been inside the coop since maybe 11, its now 1 and im a bit worried, i thought she could be broody but there isnt any eggs. She also currently sounds like a raccoon. Im worried shes egg bound

 

[NatJ]

My hen has been inside the coop since maybe 11, its now 1 and im a bit worried, i thought she could be broody but there isnt any eggs. She also currently sounds like a raccoon. Im worried shes egg bound View attachment 3637018

If she seems content to be sitting on the nest, just let her be. If she ruffles up her feathers and makes angry noises at you, that means she wants to be left alone. It also means she is probably fine.

Broody is when a hen wants to sit on eggs to hatch them. A hen can be broody on a nest with eggs, or on a nest with no eggs. A broody hen usually seems content to just sit, except when a person or another chicken comes near. Then the broody hen will puff up her feathers, make loud or scary noises, and maybe peck the person or other chicken. This is her way of protecting her nest.

Some hens pop into the nest, lay an egg quickly, and leave again. Some other hens like to sit there for a while before they get around to laying. The ones who like to sit there before laying will often act like broody hens during that time.

Sometimes a hen will act broody for a few hours, then normal for a while, then broody again. The off-and-on behavior seems to mean the hen is on the verge of going broody but not quite there yet. She may progress to full broodiness, or she may go back to normal non-broody behavior, and you won't know which until it happens. It can be quite frustrating for the person who is trying to figure out what that hen intends to do!