[jess290789]

My chicken has suddenly stopped laying, she doesnt mix with the other two and just sits in the coop all day, this is now stopping the others from going in there aswell and we have had no eggs since saturday!!
People have said she may be broody, but what do we do?? Just leave her to it or is there anything we can do, as i said she isnt coming out in the run with the others either.

[Lewjam]

Hey, sounds very much like a Broody,

Your better breaking her then leaving her too it as she wont eat well and will loose condition trying to hatch unfertalised eggs.

Have a look at this thread for more info:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=83649.0

[jess290789]

Thank you for your help, will probably try putting her in a dog cage then to see if that works!! As for the others, once she is out of the way for a while, is it likely the others will start laying again? Are they being put off going in the nest?

[kegs]

Could the other chickens have been laying but have hidden the eggs somewhere other than the nest box?

[jess290789]

Not that we know of, havent seen any.

[bantam novice]

I agree that she sounds like a broody.  The others should start laying again if she is in her broody crate.  Some hens are more strongly broody than others and take longer to come out of it.  Just make sure she has shelter from the weather and food and drink.  Good luck and keep us posted 

[jess290789]

We were thinking of putting her in a separate space as suggested but cant sort that until the weekend, the other suggestion we have come across was to put her out in the run with the others and shut the nesting box door so she cant sit there all day, she seemed fine with this as we were a bit worried that she would go mental as other people suggested she might, mixed well with the other two and was eating and drinking fine with them too when i left for work, hoping she will be ok! Also had an egg this morning from one of our others, pleased with this as it was our first egg since saturday!! Any suggestions on whether to keep doing this for the next few days or should we really separate her from the others so we can leave the nesting box open for them. How long does it normally take??