possible weird broody hen in winter!?

[Coupe]

I have an older Buff Orpington hen (4-5years),she still lays great every summer. Every winter she has stopped laying completely but for some reason this winter she stopped and started back up again...
She stopped right after she molted...middle to late fall. When i went to feed them last week, i noticed 3 eggs (i didnt bother to check sense they all stop laying ). I threw them out cause i didnt know how long they where there for..iv been collecting 2-3 eggs a day from her now..and i believe she is broody...i dont see her out in the morrnig and everytime i open the coop door she is sitting in the nest box with an egg..iv been taking the eggs but maybe i should leave some in there? Just incase she did go broody? She has never been broody before..and in the middle of winter when she normaly dosnt even lay?!

 

[Coupe]

Anyone?

 

[Coupe]

:'(

 

[QuirkySue]

I've got what I think is a broody blue Orpington who hasn't been laying very long at all (less than two months). She sits in the box all day long for over a week now. I push her out two or three times a day to distract her and she will get a quick bite to eat but the next time I check she's back in the box. It's below freezing now and I don't have a rooster so I don't really want to buy eggs for her to sit on this time of year.

 

[QuirkySue]

Wait a sec...2-3 eggs a day from her? I think maybe your other hens are laying in the same box and she's just going in to sit in them after? I've never heard of a chicken laying 2-3 a day?!?

 

[fisherlady]

Unfortunately they don't seem to care about our schedule when they decide to be broody... we have one now that has been sitting in the nest for 2 wks and refuses to give it up... so we are getting eggs for her. There are a few other threads on here about broodiness you may want to check out.
I think one is called 'Old fashioned Broody hen' or something like that... and on the headlines this week is a thread about encouraging or discouraging broodies that may help you decide what you need to do.

Edit to add... sorry, the discouraging broody hen is an article, not a thread, and no longer on the front page... here is the link though
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

 

[Coupe]

Wait a sec...2-3 eggs a day from her? I think maybe your other hens are laying in the same box and she's just going in to sit in them after? I've never heard of a chicken laying 2-3 a day?!?

Im 80% sure they are hers...she hasnt come out of the nest box ..and i go out 2 times a day and check everyone..and she always has an egg under her..maybe i have a sneaky hen who gets one in there quick , if she comes off the nest lol

 

[Coupe]

Altho im pretty sure they are hers.. I havnt seen any other chickens in the boxes, only in spring/summer...maybe she is just messed up..cause she started laying again and has never laid in winter nor has stopped in winter and started up again.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I would bet your other hens are laying there. I've seen hens sit on TOP of a broody in the nestbox and lay an egg. Then that broody happily wiggled that egg underneath her to add to the clutch. The other hens will bully their way into the nest, especially if she's decided to nest in the most used nest box (which all mine do, so all of the hens are grumpy bc they can't get in there).

 

[Coupe]

Haha that would probly explain it!!!