Young hen sitting on nest for ages but no egg.

[kristyw]

I have 2 light sussex hens that are 25 weeks old...since about 21 weeks we have been getting 2
eggs per day (some double yokers)
The past couple of days one of the hens (the second to start laying) has been sitting in the nesting box for ages but producing no eggs...she also fluffs her feathers and makes an angry sound when i move her off the nest to check ha ha. We haven't had an egg at all yesterday or today from either hen. Should I be worried?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She's broody. It's a hormonal state where they are wanting to hatch.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

She's broody. It's a hormonal state where they are wanting to hatch.

X 2 -- a broody hen will brood an empty nest, infertile eggs, rocks, golf balls.....anything she can find. If you don't want her to hatch/raise chicks (you would need to source fertile eggs or have her adopt day-olds) it is best to go ahead and "break" her as brooding is quite taxing on a bird. When brooding they stay on the nest, eating and drinking as little as possible so as to be on the nest as much as possible. If she has fertile eggs then after about 21 days the hen would have chicks which would prompt her to leave the nest and begin mothering -- without that cue some hens will stay on the nest for weeks and weeks on end, and the poor nutrition, hydration and lack of movement takes it's toll. There are several ways to break a broody hen - you can read them here on BYC by searching that term and decide which you want to use.

 

[kristyw]

Ok thankyou! I'm new to this so thankyou for your advice