Sitting hen

[sequoia_the_chicken]

I have a bantam hen who is always sitting down. She constantly sits in the nesting box usually on eggs but when I take them away she still sits in the same position. when I take her out and put her in the ground she kind of stays in that position for a couple seconds then walks around a little and sometimes eats. but when I come out again next time she is back in the nesting box. Even at night she doesn’t sleep in the same place she used to and her sister gets lonely. She used to be the first one out in the morning but that hasn’t happened in a couple weeks. I’m pretty worried and i could really use some advice. she is a year and five months oldView attachment 2774484

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

She is broody. I can see her feathers puffed up in the photos. If you want to hatch some eggs now is the time.
Welcome to BYC!

 

[Skyle]

She's broody, if you give her some fertilized eggs she will hatch some chicks. If you don't want chicks you should break her broodiness though

 

[sequoia_the_chicken]

She's broody, if you give her some fertilized eggs she will hatch some chicks. If you don't want chicks you should break her broodiness though

how do you break her?

 

[sequoia_the_chicken]

She is broody. I can see her feathers puffed up in the photos. If you want to hatch some eggs now is the time.
Welcome to BYC!

so the puffed up feathers means she's broody? thanks so much!

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

Yes they puff feathers to make themselves look bigger. You can break her by putting her in a crate with a grid bottom, like dog crate. Something that lets air get under her to change her hormones. If you let her hatch eggs I suggest giving her 4-5 bantam eggs or 2-3 big chicken eggs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Broody jail: Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run, run not predator proof) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

 

[aart]

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire(1x2) on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

After 48 hours I let her out of crate very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate for another 48 hours.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor,
gives the feet a break from the wire floor and encourages roosting.

 

[Ryder_sanders]

how do you break her?

I have broken my broody freerange birds by just constantly disturbing their nest, taking her out and feeding her