What is she doing?

[greenacers]

Merry Christmas Everyone! I am new at this, so please be patient with me. I have 9 hens, and for the last 4 days one has been just laying in box where they lay their eggs. I have not seen her come out at all. I am positive I have no rosters. Can someone please tell me what she's doing?

 

[karenkensek]

brooding

 

[CarolJ]

She probably is brooding. I had a jersey giant do that - with no rooster in the flock. I had to physically take her out of the nesting box repeatedly until she got over the urge. I've decided, though, that if I have a hen do that again, I'll get some fertilized eggs to put under her.

 

[Mahonri]

she's gone broody in hopes of hatching out some eggs. Next week buy her some chicks from the feedstore... put them under at night. She'll most likely start mothering them.

 

[mammat]

She is broody-You do not need a rooster for them to think that they will hatch infertile eggs. Sometimes they will sit on anything or nothing. I had a silkie that tried to incubate a big piece of poo

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Quote:
Yes, sounds like she's broody.

 

[Judy]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[turtlebird]

I agree with the rest of the posters that it sounds like she is broody. If this is something you don't want her to do (sit on the nest all the time in futility), there are things you can do to 'break' broodiness. SOme place the hen in a cage that is open to the air on the bottom to cool her bottom. I typically will slip a zippy bag with some ice cubes (3-4) under her at night. Usually only takes a night or two to cool her jets!

 

[theoldchick]

Normal layer:

Broody:

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote: