Speckled Sussex staying on nest….Please Help…

[mldlm]

My one and only speckled is in the nesting box. She usually takes about 2 hours to lay her egg, but today, she has been in there about 4 hours and counting. It will be sunset in just about an hour. When it is time to “put them to bed”, if she isn’t out yet, should I leave her alone or take her out and put her on the roost? Maybe broody? She is currently sitting on her egg and two ceramic ones. No rooster in sight, so no fertile eggs. Advice is appreciated. Please help! Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Have you tried to reach in and grab her? If you try to reach under her and grab her eggs what does she do? Her behavior will give some answers as to whether or not she's broody or she just doesn't feel well.

 

[mldlm]

My one and only speckled is in the nesting box. She usually takes about 2 hours to lay her egg, but today, she has been in there about 4 hours and counting. It will be sunset in just about an hour. When it is time to “put them to bed”, if she isn’t out yet, should I leave her alone or take her out and put her on the roost? Maybe broody? Advice is appreciated. Please help! Thanks!

Have you tried to reach in and grab her? If you try to reach under her and grab her eggs what does she do? Her behavior will give some answers as to whether or not she's broody or she just doesn't feel well.

We took her out of the nesting box and put her on the floor of the coop to get ready for the night. She got all puffy and fluffy and squatted down on the floor. She did eventually get up and walk around. My hubby put her up on the roost and she stayed put. Hope I did the right thing…

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Sounds like shes going broody

 

[mldlm]

Sounds like shes going broody

How do I help her through this? What do I do? My first one to go broody….

 

[DobieLover]

How do I help her through this? What do I do? My first one to go broody….

You need to break her broodiness. Use an elevated wire dog crate with a piece of wood in it for her to perch on and food and water. Leave her in a secure, active area of the coop/run setup. She needs to stay in the crate around the clock for three days and nights. Let her out of the crate about an hour before roost time on the third day and see if she roosts with the others. If she goes back to the nest, lock her up again for the night and let her out again the next day an hour before roost time. Keep doing that until she roosts. If you catch it quick, she will break quicker.
This is what my setup looks like:

 

[Brooks_]

You need to break her broodiness

Or be broody and hatch. @mldlm

 

[DobieLover]

Or be broody and hatch. @mldlm

That's a much longer reply with lots more questions....

 

[Mrs. K]

or slip a couple of fresh chicks under her.

 

[triciayoung]

I have a speckled sussex. When you put her on the floor, did she do the "pancake" thing - meaning spreading out on the floor? Did she "scream" at you when you tried to take her out of the nesting box? It sounds like she is broody from your responses thus far. If she went up to roost last night, she may only need one day in the crate. I know my SS would get very depressed being in a crate for 3-days. There is another option...SS are very nice and kind chickens - the problem is that they get bullied badly. She may be being bullied and doesn't want to come out for that reason.