She won't get off the nest!

[SunshineGal]

I'm still new and learning about raising chickens. I have 3 Blue Laced Wyandottes, born June 22, 2018. Only one is laying an egg an the pace of 1 egg a day. Takes 2 weeks to get a dozen and they are small but good in color. Anyway, yesterday she was in the nest for a few hours so I put my hand under her and there was the egg so I removed it. Now today she's been in the nest all day, and it was 4-5 hours before she laid an egg and she's still in the nest. It's like she's claimed it for herself. The other two aren't laying eggs yet so I would like someone to give some direction on what to do. She's not making her regular chicken clucks; it sounds like purring or chattering...and she's all puffed up in the crate.

I just went out and she's still in the nest. I took her out and she laid right outside on the board and let me pet her over and over. She hasn't eaten all day either and she's my girl that eats ALL the time. So yes, I'm a little concerned as to whether this is or is not normal behavior.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She's gone broody which is pretty common in Blue laced red Wyandotte. It's a hormonal state.

You will need to break her by putting her in a wire bottom crate slightly elevated off the ground. I personally just pen mine away from the nest. Only the very stubborn continue to set in the new pen.

Your hen will probably go broody multiple times a season, so getting something set up to break her each time will make things easier. Generally it takes 3-5 days. Provide feed and water. Release on day three. If she returns to the nest than back to the pen for another few days.

 

[Shadrach]

Just take any eggs away and strip out the nest. If she sits on the bare floor, block the nest off.
There often isn't any need to do anything more.

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

Or give her some fertile eggs to hatch if you want chicks!

 

[SunshineGal]

Or give her some fertile eggs to hatch if you want chicks!

LOL!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Even if she hatches now she will be broody again. Mine will go broody nearly every other month during the warmer months.

 

[aart]

I just went out and she's still in the nest. I took her out and she laid right outside on the board and let me pet her over and over.

She may have just been taking her time to lay.
I have several 'loungers'...before, after, or instead of laying.
Some lounge for awhile, maybe even try out a couple nests, then go back and lay later.

I don't call broody until I see other clues like:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, doesn't she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

 

[SunshineGal]

Just take any eggs away and strip out the nest. If she sits on the bare floor, block the nest off.
There often isn't any need to do anything more.

Won't she become egg bound?

 

[SunshineGal]

She may have just been taking her time to lay.
I have several 'loungers'...before, after, or instead of laying.
Some lounge for awhile, maybe even try out a couple nests, then go back and lay later.

I don't call broody until I see other clues like:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, doesn't she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

Sounds like she's broody because she is doing all of the above. Thank you!

 

[Shadrach]

Won't she become egg bound?

No she won't become egg bound.
Your description of her fluffing up and growling is fairly typical of a broody hen.
Whether she would sit and stay sat is another matter.
If she has been sitting for two or three days then it is possible that her egg laying may switch off for a while.
I sometimes let hens sit for a few days in order to switch their egg laying off for a while for various reasons not relevant here.