My jersey giant is broody?

[Erkaderka]

Hi, I'm new to keeping backyard chickens. Currently have two Delawares and three Jersey Giants. All of them started laying end of October and early November. Today I noticed one of the JGs sitting in the nesting box, figured she was taking her time laying her egg but she was there still in the evening when everyone else was on the roost. Does this mean she's broody? In the middle of winter?

 

[nuthatched]

Does she growl and fluff when you disturb her?

 

[fluffycrow]

Does she flatten out like a pancake?

 

[Erkaderka]

She’s either broody or sick. Does she puff up and growl and try to bite?

She is all fluffed up but didn't growl or anything. She's sitting on a couple ceramic eggs that I leave in the nests so they know where to lay. I put her on the roost and moved the eggs to a different nest and she followed the eggs.

 

[Erkaderka]

Does she growl and fluff when you disturb her?

She let me pick her up and put her on the roost next to the others but immediately went back to the next

 

[Erkaderka]

Does she flatten out like a pancake?

Hmm looks more like a puff ball than a pancake I guess

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sounds like she’s broody for sure. They don’t all growl.

 

[fluffycrow]

I'm fairly confident she is indeed broody. You would typically see her flattening out while you are away, as you approach she would fluff up

 

[Erkaderka]

Sounds like she’s broody for sure. They don’t all growl.

I'm so confused though because it's the middle of winter here in central ny. And she's not even a year old yet. I got them as day old chicks on May of 2023.

 

[fluffycrow]

It is not the best time of year for her to have gone broody, I agree. It is also very strange for a young pullet to go broody this time of year, especially given her breed, which is slow to mature. She does not appear to be ill in any way however, so unless something else pops up, I'm fairly confident she is broody, and has rather strong broody instincts

I'm so confused though because it's the middle of winter here in central ny. And she's not even a year old yet. I got them as day old chicks on May of 2023.