What is Mama missing?

[Luvs]

So she could lay an egg yesterday morning and go broody that afternoon ? Ok, I'm gonna go back out and double check on her and I guess if she's still pooping and drinking water I should let her loose back into the coop and "her box? "Her box by the way happens to be the favorite of all the hens. ..

 

[Shadrach]

She is a bantam I bought at TSC last Feb. Body language would be not happy to being held but that is normal for her. She doesn't care for handling at all. She complained loudly when I took her out but it wasn't the screaming I've heard come out if her before. She did want right back in the box thou. Can they go broody the first laying season? For some reason I thought not. I will go over her again with a fine pic comb in the morning and let everyone know what I find if anything. Thank you all!

They most definitely can go broody in their first laying season.
They can also go broody without any eggs.
None of the above means this is what is happening with yours though.

 

[sourland]

As long as she has access to 'her box' she will remain broody.

 

[Luvs]

They most definitely can go broody in their first laying season.
They can also go broody without any eggs.
None of the above means this is what is happening with yours though.

How do I know thou? Her coloring is good, body is good other than that little ball on right side and until she glued herself into the box yesterday she ran around with the flick. And while she's near the bottom of the pecking order she's part of my original flock and is not picked on.

 

[Luvs]

As long as she has access to 'her box' she will remain broody.

I don't mind broody so long as she isn't sick. Is a little cold here in Texas but if she hatches she'll do all the work rather than me.

 

[micstrachan]

I let me my girl go broody for a couple weeks last year. She got super skinny in the process, and then a broke her of it. Had I known she was going to be a good broody, I might have let her raise chicks! She’s one of my top hens.
Regardless of whether she’s broody, her cop should be empty in the morning. You need to keep an eye on that.

Edited: Wow, major voice to text fail there! I edited all those typos.

 

[rebrascora]

I would question whether the OP had removed access to food the night before because otherwise it is entirely possible that the pullet filled her crop the next morning before the OP checked her.
It does sound like she is broody and bantams are much more prone to it. The clincher would be if she is pooping in the nest overnight..... if she is sick, she will not care about soiling the nest, but if she is broody then she will hold her faecal matter until the morning and do a big disgusting smelly poop when she gets off the nest.
If she is just in the very early stages of broodiness, her comb will still be red and since she laid an egg yesterday then she is clearly in hormonal transition but it will go pale as time goes on.

 

[Shadrach]

if she is sick, she will not care about soiling the nest, but if she is broody then she will hold her faecal matter until the morning and do a big disgusting smelly poop when she gets off the nest.

As mentioned above, you can't miss a broody when she comes out to eat, bath and poop; it is about the most disgusting smell I can think of.
Broodies may also lay eggs for up to 4 days after sitting in my experience.

 

[Shadrach]

One other test I can think of that often works is to take the suspected broody off the nest and put her with other hens. Usually the broody will fluff up her feathers, lower her head and cluck a lot. I have had one or two exceptions to this.

 

[andreanar]

I agree with her being broody. You need to decide what to do. And yes they will lay eggs until they have what they feel is enough for a clutch. Break her or let her sit.