piglet Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have 3 hens, they are 3 years old but 1 of them hasn't laid in 2 years. We went on holiday & put them in hen boarding at a recommended farm since that 2 week holiday Dotty my rhode island red hasn't laid any eggs, she has been well in herself & we had her checked by someone who has kept chickens for years & they said her hips were still wide enough to allow her to pass an egg...the strange thing is she still goes into lay every day,she will sit on the nest for ages then reappears picking up straw & twigs & throwing them over her back! Has any one ever heard of this??? I presumed it was an instinct thing but the 2 who still lay almost every day only go on the nest when they have an egg to pass, she will also following them in when they are laying & push them off the nest. Any thoughts or ideas will be greatfully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 she's feeling broody. the twig throwing is something they do when they get into that frame of mind. she's fine but make sure you remove the other eggs out of the nest and her off it as soon as you can each time. This may be enough to stop her going fully broody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have a hen who goes through spells of not laying but still sitting on the nest. She'll toddle up after breakfas as usual, sit on the nest for an hour or so, then toddle down again and back to business as usual for the rest of the day. No egg laid! After a few weeks of this she will usually start laying again. I have no idea why she does this - what makes her go off lay or why she still wants to sit on the nest every day as if she were laying. I don't tend to worry about it too much though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntielizzie Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 One of my hens is exactly like this too. She doesn't lay for a few weeks then she surprises you by laying an egg, which usually means a short spurt of laying for a week or so, nut then she stops but continues sitting in the nest. She was doing it again today and I was sure I was going to get an egg! I kept sneaking up and listening to her chuntering away to herself. She was in there for about two hours and when she finally emerged, I looked in the nest box and..........nothing! Its just the way she is it seems, so ive stopped worrying about it (although I get very excited when she does lay an egg!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
