Weird Chicken behavior

[csmack71]

I have a 7 month old hen that started laying about 4 weeks ago, then all of sudden she stopped, but she just sits and broods in her laying spot all day. I have to physically pick her up and take her to her food and water and put her away in her coop at night. The other three hens which have not started laying yet are doing just fine. Any advice suggestions.....

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Does she stay in the nest at night too?

On the surface, it sounds like you have a broody hen.

 

[csmack71]

I physically have to put her in her coop, or she would stay out all night. Will she eventually snap out of it and continue to lay?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you telling me her "laying spot" is outside the coop where she lays eggs?

If she's really broody, she won't snap out of it because she wants to raise a family.
Where does she sleep when you put her in the coop? Does she go up to roost?

 

[csmack71]

Yes, she lays outside of her coop. When she's in the coop she just roosts with the other hens.

What would explain the stoppage of laying though? If she's trying to raise a family wouldn't she be laying?

Thank you for your help

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No. Once a hen goes broody she stops laying so that all the chicks hatch at the same time. If she continued to lay after starting to set (onset of incubation), each subsequent egg would be behind the rest and the embryos would die when she comes off the nest to show the chicks to eat and drink. That's why they stop laying when they start setting.