Phantom Egg? Looks/sounds like she laid one, but NO EGG!

[gckiddhouse]

I have a hen who has, for the last 2 days, gone in the hen house, cackled and carried on with the rooster, sat quietly in a nesting box for a while, and then came out cackling again. This is textbook laying behavior right? This is just what my other laying hens do, but when she comes out there is no egg! I felt her abdomen to see if there was an egg that was stuck, but it is all soft. What is going on with her? Anyone ever have this kind of phantom egg? Thanks for the help in advance!

I was relieved to feel that there wasn't an egg in her abdomen, but I am still worried about her.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Has she ever laid an egg? If not, she might just be warming up for the big event.

 

[chickenlickin8]

Yep, been there and still doing that!! I have one RIR that is going on 11 months old and does the same thing but has never laid yet. I have her separated from the pack now to confirm she is really not laying secretly. Almost two weeks and nothing so far.....look for my post ...Should I COOK her..... it tells all about my story.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Well, I am not sure. We have one mystery egg. It showed up one evening. I suspected it was this hen - Flare is her name. She is a speckled sussex btw. So it made sense that she started cackling a day and a half later and went in to lay. But 2 days of this and no egg.

No other hen is laying an egg like the mystery egg and it was definitely a "first egg". So I have my 3 laying hens, 6 non-laying, a mystery egg and a phantom egg layer.

I guess I will just watch her. I just want to make sure there is nothing wrong with her.

I did the read some of the other thread "Should I COOK her?" WOW! I guess I shouldn't complain or worry...yet!

 

[Mahonri]

Could be she's just practicing.

I have hens do that.

 

[ella]

Totally normal behavior, she's just practicing.

Oddly enough I have roosters that do that.

Chickens have a whole egg ritual thing going on. It's part of their culture, sort of.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Well, she is back in there this morning. We will see what she does.
Thanks for all the reassuring responses. I guess she is just practicing.
Ella, that is hilarious that your rooster does that, too!! Wish I could see that!

 

[gckiddhouse]

Here is Flare, btw. I always like to see the chicken in question. She is a beauty! We have another just like her named Fiona.

 

[gckiddhouse]

She did it!!! Yay, Flare!!!

 

[UrbanChickenMama]

Quote:
GOOD GIRL FLARE!!!!!