Sad chicken who has stopped laying!

[ele]

Hi,

We have had two hens for about 2 months. They both started laying after a week or so of arriving, but now one has stopped and is sitting in the coop all day and won't come out. If we take her out she goes straight back in again. I assume she comes out to eat at some point as she is healthy and there is no mess in the coop. Our flock is free range and has two cockerels, two hens and a bantam hen who is only just maturing. We have a large space for them to roam about and all the other chickens roost in the trees at night rather than the coop (as she used to when she first arrived) so we are not sure what has changed. She might just prefer the peace and quiet I suppose but to have stopped laying as well suggests there is something more going on. There doesn't seem to be any aggression towards her from the others when she is out but she is only out for five minutes when we put her out. We thought initially she was broody but having left her for a week she is not sitting on any eggs! Any ideas on what we can do to help her? Thanks

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We thought initially she was broody but having left her for a week she is not sitting on any eggs! Any ideas on what we can do to help her?

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Where is she staying when she is in the coop? No eggs doesn't mean not broody... Most my hens will sit on air... since I collect eggs daily. It has NO bearing on their hormones as far as I can tell... and they don't appear to be super smart either. Does she make any sounds or body postures?

I expect your hen to cockerel ration might become an issue... with your hens being over mated before too long.

Hoping she is well!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

If she stays in the nest she's broody, with or without eggs. If her feathers are looking all out of sorts, she may be molting, which makes chickens feel weird and act oddly. In both cases they will stop laying.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When you take her out does she put up a fuss and flatten out like she is mad? Is clucking, fluffing up and carrying on like, well, like an 'ol wet hen?

From your description it sounds like she may be broody! Do you have some photos of what she looks like in the nest?

A hen does not need eggs to sit on to be broody. Being broody is hormonal. If you do not have fertile eggs you want her to hatch right now, then it's best to break her broodiness. She needs to be cooled down - the best way is to take her from the nesting box and place her in a wire cage that is elevated off the ground. This allows air flow and helps with the cooling process. It can take a few days to break them.
She may go through a light molt when you break her. Depending on her age, she will likely resume laying eggs.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch/

 

[Shadrach]

If she's not broody then she may be trying to avoid the attention of the cockerels.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

When you take her out does she put up a fuss and flatten out like she is mad? Is clucking, fluffing up and carrying on like, well, like an 'ol wet hen?

This is the look WR is describing.

 

[sourland]

Possibly broody as others have suggested, but is very likely avoiding the cockerels. Two cockerels in your small flock is at least one too many.