why is my chicken hogging the house?

[Anonymous]

I have 3 chickens. Recently 1 of the chickens has stopped leaving the nesting box altogether. If I lift her out and take her outside the pen, she pecks around for a while then goes back in.

Since then, the other 2 chickens have not layed at all. She might be stopping the other 2 from getting into the nesting box as there are feathers around as if she has attacked them. Each day I find only 1 egg whereas before we had 3.

This could be because some children harassed her a few weeks ago. (The kids have now learned their lesson and won't do it again!) or is it because she is broody?

What can I do to get the other's laying again and her outside?

Answers would be greatly appreciated! Thanks,

Flifli

 

[Frenchchickens123]

Hi, sounds like a broody to me! If you want to stop her from being broody I have heard the best method is to put the hen in a dog crate or similar and keep her in there. They normally take a week to stop being broody. The other hens may have stopped laying if she doesn't allow them access tithe nesting box. My hens usually climb in with the broody and lay but yours may be more agressive towards the others. Hope this helps

 

[bantiekeeper]

Yes I agree. Two of my dottes are going back in the cages today!

 

[Chuck]

Take her off broody ar you could end up with broken eggs which will lead to egg eating !

 

[Sue]

Just a point that the other replies didn't mention. The feathers you have found are probably her own. If you check underneath her, you will probably find a bald patch. She's done this to get her body heat closer to the eggs (even if they are only imaginary eggs!)