[Crazyboutdaanimals]

a bit of advice please...
my pekin x silkie looks like she is trying to lay an egg and has been since about mid-dayish, i have asked a poultry keeper near by about it and she says she could be going broody but is unsure, the hen has not layed any eggs today and i am worried i might lose her 

[CameronS]

have you got any more information you can give us?

is she croaking and crouching into the nest box if you go to pick her up? is she making a clucking noise when you remove her from the nest wandering around with ruffled feathers.

you have a mix of the two most broody hens on the planet! it wouldn't surprise me if she was - i wouldn;t worry too much.

a picture might help

[in the hills]

Or she could be egg bound? More information if you can.

[Crazyboutdaanimals]

she is crouching in the nesting box, and makes a very very soft cluck when u touch her, she also ruffles all of her feathers aswell, she doesn't walk around, in fact she hasn't moved from that spot since i noticed i will try and get a photo up but no guarantees

[in the hills]

Sounds broody to me!!!!

We have 2 broody peeks at the moment. Sit fluffed up in their chosen spot, when approached fluff up their feathers, give you a keep away noise and a sharp peck. They dont want to move and struggle to stay where they are. If you take them off and are very broody they refuse to walk and sometimes sit fluffed up where you have put them down. If you put an egg near them they will roll it underneath them.

[deepinthewoods]

broody!! i love those little noises they make, heehee

[colliewoman]

pop an egg near her, mine will always tuck a new egg away safely if they are broody

[Crazyboutdaanimals]

another hen layed an egg next to her but it was still next to her some time later

[suziequeue]

Broody

[Crazyboutdaanimals]

will put some eggs under now, n hope for them to be under her, and for her to be ok in the morning,...

[Crazyboutdaanimals]

yay, i got her out of the nesting box, with some eggs next to her she started to nest on the floor tucking them under her, so got some straw and moved her, put the eggs in the nesting box and she finally got up and walked... am soo glad, althou i think this means trying to find an enclosure just for her with no cocks o well am glad she is alright will check on her in the morning thou jus to be sure.
thank you for all the advice, i was so worried she was egg-bound

[deepinthewoods]

the cockerels will probably leave her alone, mine actually got quite defensive of my last broody. enjoy!

[Sylvia]

This sounds a bit gross but put your little finger, liberally smeared with vaseline or similar very gently and carefully into her vent. Make sure your nail is very short and smooth! With the finger inserted a fair way up can you feel an egg? if so, she is egg bound and in distress. If this is the case get a small syringe from your vet or chemist and syringe a bit of veg. oil well into her vent. Do it again until the egg slips out. Good luck

[in the hills]

Only ever had one egg bound hen - a black rock. We put vaseline around and just inside her vent and held (tightly!) over a bowl of steaming water. She passed the egg very quickly.

She didnt stay in the nest box or fluff up or make any of the broody noises though. She spent long periods in the nest box but appeared restless and distressed .... going in and out of the coop and standing a bit odd.

[Crazyboutdaanimals]

i think she is broody, n finally figured out what that noise she makes is (how to describe it) it like a chicken version of a purr but i love it, she is still sitting on eggs, and is very friendly still, which is weird but that might be because i handle my chickens everyday thank you for all your advice, but i dont think i need to put my finger up her bum (phew)