We have Eggs

[MatthewsHomestead]

You are giving free choice of oyster shell and grit right? Could be cooler in the box than out and about.... Are any of the other chickens picking on her?

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

If she is on nest at night, then she is broody.
Sometimes when they first start laying they are not quite sure of themselves about feeling like they need to lay and they will visit nest box off and on.
If she is too hot, she will move to a cooler area of shade and stand with her wings outstretched.
As long as she is bright eyed, drinking and eating ok, I would assume she is OK. When it is really hot, mine love frozen fresh corn as treats to cool off.

 

[Baymule]

I keep a medium sized rubber tub in the coop, full of water. They can stand in it and cool off. They also poop in it and drink it.

I call the small "first" eggs, chicken farts. LOL I have even gotten double yolkers in a small chicken fart egg. Cute. Pullets may start off small, swing wide to huge double yolkers and finally settle in and lay normal size eggs.

Congrats on your first eggs. There is nothing like having your own chickens and eggs.

 

[Sheepshape]

I hope the egg tasted fine.
Hens vary a lot in their egg laying behaviour. Some go into their favourite spot, sit there for a minute or two and lay (the hen stands up as the egg is laid). As soon as the egg is out they leave......some singing the s0-called 'egg song', and all the other flock members, including roosters, joining in. Others go in there and sit for hours, lay the egg, and still sit there for another hour or two before leaving silently. Once a hen establishes a pattern, this pattern will be repeated. The egg laying cycle is said to be 25 hours, so that a hen lays later and later in the day, then misses a day. Again, as with all biological systems, not all do this.(I have several who lay at exactly the same time each day).
Now, if the hen goes into the nest box and stays there and WON'T come out (may or may not have laid), puffs up her feathers, may peck you, and makes a weird seagull-like noise......she's broody.

It's hot here right now (nothing like the hot that some of you will be experiencing!) and my hens are panting whilst laying (beak open and short, sharp breaths). If possible try to shade the coop, offer water, try to persuade them to lay elsewhere in the shade with rubber eggs etc. If the hen is getting way too uncomfortable she will usually move herself, however, and you don't need to worry too much.

Good Luck.

 

[RollingAcres]

I call the small "first" eggs, chicken farts. LOL

Oh @Baymule you always crack me up!

 

[bethh]

You are giving free choice of oyster shell and grit right? Could be cooler in the box than out and about.... Are any of the other chickens picking on her?

They free range so there are lots of cooler areas. No one is picking on her. They have access to oyster shells. Don’t see them eating them necessarily. I typically mix grit with their food.

 

[bethh]

I hope the egg tasted fine.
Hens vary a lot in their egg laying behaviour. Some go into their favourite spot, sit there for a minute or two and lay (the hen stands up as the egg is laid). As soon as the egg is out they leave......some singing the s0-called 'egg song', and all the other flock members, including roosters, joining in. Others go in there and sit for hours, lay the egg, and still sit there for another hour or two before leaving silently. Once a hen establishes a pattern, this pattern will be repeated. The egg laying cycle is said to be 25 hours, so that a hen lays later and later in the day, then misses a day. Again, as with all biological systems, not all do this.(I have several who lay at exactly the same time each day).
Now, if the hen goes into the nest box and stays there and WON'T come out (may or may not have laid), puffs up her feathers, may peck you, and makes a weird seagull-like noise......she's broody.

It's hot here right now (nothing like the hot that some of you will be experiencing!) and my hens are panting whilst laying (beak open and short, sharp breaths). If possible try to shade the coop, offer water, try to persuade them to lay elsewhere in the shade with rubber eggs etc. If the hen is getting way too uncomfortable she will usually move herself, however, and you don't need to worry too much.

Good Luck.

Seems like you just described exactly what she’s doing. The breathing, moving about in the nest, her coloring is fine. Maybe she’s just trying to figure things out. I was just really worried about the heat. She can pretty much stay in the box all day today if she wants because it’s raining and therefore much cooler. She’s been docile, much more so than normal. My BO’s don’t care to much to be touched. I’ve stood over her, dripped water into her mouth and on her waffles and comb.

 

[bethh]

I’ve so much to learn. When I was working, I always tried teaching the newbies everything I could because I always said—- you don’t know what you don’t so you don’t know what to ask.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Sounds like that is just her favorite place to be. I have a pair that like to be in the pig pen. They even prefer to roost in there so I let them. The hen does however venture out to lay her egg under the quail hutch..... They can be picky little buggers. I say just let her be as long as she is happy and healthy. She may be your first one to go broody from the sound of it.....

 

[Sheepshape]

Buff Orpingtons (like Brahmas, which I keep) can be almost permanently broody. 2 of my Gold Brahma hens are broody.....one has eggs, the other two chicks. The third Gold Brahma I have has laid for the last 8 days or so, having left her last brood of chicks, and now shows every sign of going broody once again (spending longer and longer on her egg after laying and squawking at me when I walk near her). Great if you want chickens, not so great if you want omelettes.