Is Geena a wanna-be broody?

[dandelionheart]

Lately Geena has been spending more time in the egg boxes and even in the little hallway of the galley of six egg boxes... She has been laying, but will either wait until others have laid a few and then lay hers, then snuggle down on them until I steal them. She has been whirring at me, trilling really... I don't know what that means. No pecking. Today (as she has done a couple times in the last week) she moved two of our three golfballs into the hallway and then layed her egg. She had to roll them down the hallway to get to her spot, but couldn't get them in an eggbox due to the lip we use to keep our eggs inside. She waits a while after I take her eggs, then seems to act regular, going in the run and having fun with the rest of the girls. She is 11 months old, an EE, and has only been laying for a month and 1/2 or so.

She is still squatting... if they are broody do they still squat? How can I gently help her out of this?

 

[Happy Chooks]

She doesn't sound broody. EE's tend to make the trilling sound, it's their happy sound. I have several girls, both EE and others, that make the trilling sound. Chickens naturally want to lay where others have laid. To them, it means if another hen laid there, it must be a safe place.

When they are broody, the puff up like a blowfish and screech (high pitch - scared the crud outta me the first time I heard it). They also will quit laying and stay in the nesting box even at night.

 

[dandelionheart]

So she is just very happy to be laying and snuggled in the egg box?

That is a good thing. She was a late bloomer and maybe she is just extra excited about the whole thing. Our youngest Maran is going to be laying soon... and she keeps hanging out at the top of the ramp, poking her head in, etc... and I just remembered that Geena has been in there when I've observed this... Do you think it possible that the EE is demonstrating how wonderful it is to lay right here? Kinda instructional?

I wonder if I'll find an extra Maran egg here in a day or so.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Unless she's in the box all day and night too, yes. I have one hen that will lay her egg, then lay down on it for 3-4 hours and rest.

All of my hens have been very vocal when they are close to laying. So if your Marans is squawking a lot and seems to be pacing, then she's close.