Unhappy chicken? Slow , sad, bwaaaaaaaaaak?

[Orpingtons Mom]

she has yet to lay an egg ... she left her dust bath and went over to the nest. She has been sitting in the nest for several days. But nothing has been laid.

Im worried. Plus she just left the nest, no egg, but she was singing the egg song.

what gives???

 

[Wishing4Wings]

she has yet to lay an egg ... she left her dust bath and went over to the nest. She has been sitting in the nest for several days. But nothing has been laid.

Im worried. Plus she just left the nest, no egg, but she was singing the egg song.

what gives???

How old is she?

If this is a pullet that has never laid an egg, she is probably just practicing. Her comb should be bright red, which shows she's close to laying as does her interest in the nest box.

If I misunderstood and this is an older hen, she might have a reproductive problem. I have one that does the same thing as yours, and I suspect internal laying as it has been months.
Possible for them to have an egg stuck, but they usually don't feel well with this.
May also be that she's toying with the idea of going broody.


Does she have access to oyster shells or calcium?

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

She’s a pullet. You’re right. I should have used the proper language.

Yes, I have plenty of oyster shell. In fact, my girls have not laid any rubber eggs, all have have had wonderful shells.

she just seemed soooo sad. It was enough to break your heart! Especially when she sang the egg song!

 

[WindingRoad]

She’s a pullet. You’re right. I should have used the proper language.

Yes, I have plenty of oyster shell. In fact, my girls have not laid any rubber eggs, all have have had wonderful shells.

she just seemed soooo sad. It was enough to break your heart! Especially when she sang the egg song!

A pullet can be anywhere from feathered out to 1 year. What is her breed, is she squatting, how old in weeks is she. All of these questions will help us help you.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Here we go:

1. English Orpington
2. Born May 24, 2020
3. She may have been covered today by Mr Big (my basketball sized cockerel). She must have been squatting as he got her pretty good.
4. Weeks...about 42?

 

[WindingRoad]

Here we go:

1. English Orpington
2. Born May 24, 2020
3. She may have been covered today by Mr Big (my basketball sized cockerel). She must have been squatting as he got her pretty good.
4. Weeks...about 42?

Are you sure she's a she? 42 weeks is kinda late. I'm not familiar with that breed though. Might be normal. Have you checked around for eggs other than in the nest box. Some birds love to hide them. My birds have been laying for over a year and every once in awhile I find them outside, on the coop floor, in another smaller "hospital" coop etc. If she's in the nest box you might hang around and see "where" she goes. She could be laying most any where.

ETA: you might try some fake eggs 50/50 if they help. TSC has them.

 

[aart]

Here we go:

1. English Orpington
2. Born May 24, 2020
3. She may have been covered today by Mr Big (my basketball sized cockerel). She must have been squatting as he got her pretty good.
4. Weeks...about 42?

Think they can be slow to mature....and she matured in the fall, when days were short, so that can put things off even further.
You'll just have to be patient...and hope.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Yes, they are very late bloomers... actually, I don’t care if she ever lays an egg. As long as she is healthy and/or not in pain.

thank you, Aart and winding road. At least I’ll be able to sleep tonight.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I have several hens and pullets that make the long slow baawwwwk sound you are talking about. I've never thought they were sad, just talkative.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Thank you! That’s a better perspective.