Trying to lay -- confused or eggbound?

[eastvanchicken]

One of our 5 month old ISA Brown hens who has been laying very consistently (by 8:30AM) is sitting in the nesting box and refusing to come out though she has not laid an egg.

Should I be concerned? Could she just be mistaken or might she be eggbound?

Thanks for any help!

 

[eggsrcool]

You may want to check for egg-bound by feeling the lower stomach. If you can feel a hard egg shape then she may be trying to lay. But, you may have a broody. Does she squawk or peck at you? Can you feel an egg in her lower stomach?

ETA: At 5 months she may start to lay but I doubt she is broody. Is her vent pulsing as suggested in the post below mine?

 

[2DogsFarm]

I'm a Newbie, so not sure I will be of much help...
How long has your pullet been trying to lay?

My first layer - a Black Star - regularly lays sometime after 7A when I put them in the coop (I work) and by 5P there's a (cold) egg in the nestbox.

One weekend morning she seemed to be trying to lay - tossing shavings over her shoulder in the box, panting, vent pulsing...

I tried feeling her abdomen (as if I'd even recognize if she were eggbound!) and watched her for about 10 minuntes, then tried feeding her some pellets.
When she ate them from my hand, I decided she couldn't be too distressed if she ws eating. So I went in for a much-needed shower.
When I came back out about 15min later - she had laid and was out pecking around with the others.

I hope your girl is fine & you get better advice than mine from those with more experience!

 

[eastvanchicken]

Thanks. We can't really feel the egg. On the other hand she's very calm (though she is a veerry mellow chicken at all times). When taken off the nest she seems no different (lively, bright eyed).

At this point I'll be waiting it seems...

 

[CMV]

She would be pretty distressed if she were eggbound and that's pretty easy to recognize. I hope she's OK. Good luck.

 

[eastvanchicken]

That's what I gathered. SI took her out and had her eat and run around a bit but as soon as allowed she headed back (a few moments ago. She does seem fine and she is relatively new at this...

 

[eggsrcool]

Sometimes giving them Olive Oil can help to pass the egg or rubbing oil on the vent. If she is eggbound she would be distressed, so she probably isn't. Good luck!

 

[eastvanchicken]

Mystery solved! Got an egg, left for a walk and came back to find her nesting. When forced outside she starts throwing leaves over her back. Broody!?

Ok now what?