So on Wednesday I noticed that one of my three cream legbars was acting oddly, went to collect the eggs and she was there and very unhappy when I moved her, took the eggs etc. and she's just generally in a bad mood with me and my other hens e.g. clucking, "fluffing" up, aggressive etc., and whenever I went out she was sitting on any eggs that had been laid, or was constantly watching the nesting box, as if she was waiting for eggs. Behaviour had been persistent so by Saturday was pretty confident she was broody. After some research I decided I would let her sit on some fertilised eggs from my boyfriends mum and see how she goes. I couldn't leave her with the other hens so moved her and the nest she had made (e.g. with her feathers etc.) to a spare chicken ark I have. From looking online I decided to move her on an evening, and she was fine and took her place on the nest with the eggs all good, that was last night (Saturday). Today I opened up her coop to let her out to drink, eat etc. I have noticed that she leaves the nest for longer than what seems to be 'normal', today I've noticed her out of the nest 3 times and she was out for longer than what seems to be the average 20 minutes for a broody. However, she does return and she is still exhibiting broody behaviour when not on the nest and if I place her back on she will sit. So I don't think her broodiness has been broken and if I placed her back with the other hens I feel like she would have the same behaviour as before. So what do you think, is she a bad mamma? Will she get used to it as time goes on (I was thinking potentially as her location has changed she's more nosey)? Should I be letting her out for 20 minutes etc. and then placing her back in the nest box with the door closed so she will stay and sit? I am hoping as its only day one of sitting she won't have done too much damage leaving them for longer spells.
Also to add to this another legbar seems to have caught the broody bug today! I am trying to break this, as I don't have anywhere for her to nest and don't want to lose another layer really. But potentially could these two girls brood together?
Also to add to this another legbar seems to have caught the broody bug today! I am trying to break this, as I don't have anywhere for her to nest and don't want to lose another layer really. But potentially could these two girls brood together?
