Broody?

[11ChickenGirl11]

When I was in our chickens' coop today to check on them about 30 minutes ago, I noticed that one of our two Australorps, Midnight, may be broody (She was inside one of the nest boxes and laying on 5 eggs). I reached under her and pulled out one of the eggs. When it put it back near her, she stretched her neck out and pulled the egg back underneath her. I was really excited about her chance at being broody but then our second Australorp, Shimmer, came near her and started squawking loudly. Midnight screeched and I pulled Shimmer away. I closed their mini run inside their larger run so Shimmer would not be able to disturb Midnight. After 10 minutes, I saw Midnight inside the mini run trying to get water so I opened it. Suddenly, Shimmer went inside and I was worried if she would try to break the eggs, however, she sat on them instead. I took out one of the eggs and put it next to Shimmer. She stretched her neck out and pulled the egg back underneath her as well!

Could someone please tell me if this is 'normal' behavior for broody hen(s)?

Thanks,
11ChickenGirl11

 

[nchls school]

When I was in our chickens' coop today to check on them about 30 minutes ago, I noticed that one of our two Australorps, Midnight, may be broody (She was inside one of the nest boxes and laying on 5 eggs). I reached under her and pulled out one of the eggs. When it put it back near her, she stretched her neck out and pulled the egg back underneath her. I was really excited about her chance at being broody but then our second Australorp, Shimmer, came near her and started squawking loudly. Midnight screeched and I pulled Shimmer away. I closed their mini run inside their larger run so Shimmer would not be able to disturb Midnight. After 10 minutes, I saw Midnight inside the mini run trying to get water so I opened it. Suddenly, Shimmer went inside and I was worried if she would try to break the eggs, however, she sat on them instead. I took out one of the eggs and put it next to Shimmer. She stretched her neck out and pulled the egg back underneath her as well!

Could someone please tell me if this is 'normal' behavior for broody hen(s)?

Thanks,
11ChickenGirl11

Hens that are laying will reach out to eggs that are near also.

 

[chickenraiser22]

It is likely that your hens are broody.

 

[11ChickenGirl11]

Hens that are laying will reach out to eggs that are near also.

Really? lol. That is a good way to fool people. But I do not think they were laying an egg. It is 4:00 PM here right now.

 

[csaylorchickens]

Really?  lol.  That is a good way to fool people.  But I do not think they were laying an egg.  It is 4:00 PM here right now.

There is a thread on here specifically for Broody hens. There are multiple signs that your head is going Broody. Laying on a nest at 4 p.m. might not be a good indicator my hens lay eggs at different times of the day all the time. It's like they go through a rotation they lay them early morning and then in a couple of weeks they're laying them later in the afternoon. Major signs that your hen has gone Broody is number 1 not leaving the nest at all number to only getting up for food and drink and when they do there is a one huge large poop that's very smelly and very big. Another sign is they do this weird click sound and fluff up their feathers when you go near their nest and if you take them off the nest at 8 o'clock and they fluff up and then they go right back to the nest.

 

[csaylorchickens]

They kind of go into a trance like state too when they are broody

 

[nchls school]

There is a thread on here specifically for Broody hens. There are multiple signs that your head is going Broody. Laying on a nest at 4 p.m. might not be a good indicator my hens lay eggs at different times of the day all the time. It's like they go through a rotation they lay them early morning and then in a couple of weeks they're laying them later in the afternoon. Major signs that your hen has gone Broody is number 1 not leaving the nest at all number to only getting up for food and drink and when they do there is a one huge large poop that's very smelly and very big. Another sign is they do this weird click sound and fluff up their feathers when you go near their nest and if you take them off the nest at 8 o'clock and they fluff up and then they go right back to the nest.

X 2.

 

[aart]

Remove all eggs daily from nest.
If bird is still on nest all day and for 3 nights in a row, then she's serious.

You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have or can you get some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop and I would feed her some crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.
Water nipple bottle added after pic was taken.