[---Snakey---]

Bit of a newbie to this chicken keeping lark and although things have gone well for the first 3 weeks, one of my girls is starting to do my head in.

I got 4 girls at POL and the speckley was laying cracking eggs from the off on a daily basis. The other 3 are still not laying but I do think that they are younger than the eldest due to the size of the comb and waddles (also confirmed by the breeder). Anyhow "Rachel" the speckledy has for the last 2 days been intent on sitting on her rump in the nest box. She is however the first out in the morning and feeding and drinking as normal. But when she then goes back to the nest box (like she has since she first arrived) she is remaining there and not laying.

On day one of this behavior I kicked her out the coop after several hours of her being sat on the nest. She fussed and fussed all day trying to get back in the coop. Then about 5pm she laid an egg in the run.

On day two I allowed her to sit in the nest at normal laying time for an hour, no egg. So I again kicked her out and thinking that maybe she is going broody I looked on this brill site. I took the advice of dunking her dererre in a trug of cool water (which she didn't seem to mind). Had no eggs at all.

Today is day three.... out she marched with the other 3 at 7am this morning. An hour later I took my dogs out for a walk and at that point she was sat in the nest, no egg. She is still sat there......

Any ideas or help would be very very welcome......

Cheers

Nick

[8doubles]

When my speckled hen did the same i closed the coop after the others had layed and hung an old  wire fridge shelf (very handy for chook keepers) over the nestbox to keep her out at night.
My hens have a small detached nestbox in the garden they use if desperate , the broody did not decide to settle in there and gave up trying after 5 days.

[orchardlady]

A good way to work out if your hen has gone broody is while she is in the nest box place your hand under her and keep it still. Does she 'cuddle' your hand? If so she may well be broody. Also does she puff up her feathers and make herself look like an angry football when you put your hand near her? If so again she is broody. There are variouse ways to stop her but basicly you need to make life uncomfortable for her but not unbearable.

Good luck.

[helens-hens]

One of my hens has been acting very similar to this (see my topic 'to lay or not to lay' a couple of days ago). Though your hen could be broody it was suggested to me that it may be the time of year i.e. winter coming and days getting shorter which aren't optimum laying conditions for hens. My hen who has been laying practically daily since I had her in April, from Wed to yesterday this week spent quite a bit of time in the nest box with no results but seemed happy & healthy otherwise.

Funnily enough this morning she did lay (1st time since Tuesday) but I will look at this as a bonus and not expect too much till next spring! Hope your problem sorts itself out, I am sure it will.

[Aunt Sally]

What a silly time of year to go broody Snakey

[---Snakey---]

Thanks for your replies, I do hope she sorts herself out, she is currently going the commonwealth chicken games around the garden with the other 3 so she must be ok.

Snakey

[sunshinemedic]

One of my girls did the same when she was @ POL. After she did lay her first couple of eggs, she settled completely.