Long time trying to lay

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hip chick

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I have a silkie who has spent around 2hrs in the nest box this morning trying to lay (regular layer). I removed her from the nest box while cleaning out the coop, but as soon as I put it all back together, she went straight back in. She's been in there around an hour now and still no signs of an egg, and is getting very irritated at me keep checking on her. Any advice please, as not sure if I'm just overthinking things and worrying for nothing
 
Just leave her be, it can take ages, or it could be that she is thinking of going broody, but no need to panic, lets see what the day brings!
 
If she has been laying, even if you've been taking away the eggs, her hormones may be telling her she has laid a clutch and should now go broody. I would remove her from the nestbox if she's still in there - your original post was at 10-54 and its now 13.28, so whether or not she is broody, she should come out so you can have a look at her. Given her breed tendency to broodiness, and the fact that you say she was cross with you when disturbed, I would think she is most probably broody. The other possibility is that she's egg bound, in which case you should be able to observe whether she's standing hunched up and looking unhappy when in the open.
If broody, best to isolate her ASAP in a bare area, with shade and light, food and water, and nowhere comfortable to snuggle down. the sooner you start, the shorter the period before she returns to normal.
 
Thanks Marigold. They lay every other day and I know she laid yesterday, so I wasnt expecting an egg from her today, but it is unusual for her to be aggressive with me. She has now come out and looks fine. She's back to strolling round the garden and eating with the others. I think you may be right over her being broody though so I will try what you've suggested
 
I'm glad she looks OK. Keep an eye on her and get her out of the nestbox tomorrow if she seems to be stuck in there without laying, for too long. If no egg tomorrow, after sitting for more than two hours, I would ban her from the nestbox altogether, day and night, and isolate her until she comes to her senses. The sooner you start, the sooner she will get over it - until next time!
 
She's definitely broody but has laid an egg this morning, which I removed staraight away. She did try going back in but was taken out very quickly. Ive stopped her going into the coop and the run, but she took to digging around it to try to get back in. Ive now put her in a seperate run for the day, along with food and water, but I dont have another spare coop yet (coming wed), so can I isolate her in the pen until bedtime and then put her back in the coop, and put her back in the pen in the morning !! The pen currently has a gravel floor, so nothing she can get really comfy on, and it is cool
 
If she tried to go back in the nestbox after laying an egg, that definitely sounds like broody. Yes that's fine. I would block off the nest boxes overnight with large plastic flowerpots or some boxes so she can't get into them. If your run is secure there is no need to offer her a coop at all, in fact in this warm weather she would be best on her own in a small fenced-in corner of the run with no company and no nesting place, just bare ground. Of course this depends on the security of your run - but if you think a fox might get her unless she's shut up in the coop, then this could happen at any time they are out of the coop in the run anyway.
 
I had to remove her from the seperated pen marigold as she became very distressed when not allowed to get to the coop, and was literally flinging herself at the mesh to get out. I was also concerned at her being seperated from the others as she's already at the bottom of the pecking order. I resorted to allowing her back in the coop, but I'd placed a bag of ice under the sawdust in the nesting box. She came out after 20 minutes like a different bird, started eating and drinking, and has stayed out of the coop since. I will resort to doing the same tomorrow. Luckily she is the only one laying, so its not disturbing the others at all apart from her constant clucking
 
Brilliant idea! Let's hope it cures her. I had an Exchequer Leghorn that used to fling herself against the mesh of the isolation coop whenever I went in the run so had to let her out as I was afraid she'd injure herself. Can't remember now how I cured her - maybe I hardened my heart and left her to it because I know she went straight back to the nest box!
 
I'm pleased to say the bag of ice seems to have worked, as she's not attemped to go into the nest box today even though ive left the ice in there anyway. I've read that they go broody because the body temperature rises, therefore if you can reduce it quickly your more likely to nip it in the bud quickly, which for me was less traumatic than watching her being distressed. The way forward for me I think, having silkies
 
Very good, that sounds like an excellent answer to a common problem. Now you're aware of the first signs, you can intervene early and nip any broodiness in the bud.
We'd love to see some pics of your Silkies, if possible.
 
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