Warren hen putting eggs under her and sitting on them

[IronMan834638]

Hi there

I have a warren hen who is sitting on some eggs unfertilised and when I take an egg and put it next to her she puts it under neath her.

I don't know whether she is broody but she calm as per her normal behaviour.

I also picked her up and moved her slightly away from the eggs and she goes back to sit on them

Is this a broody hen or just natural instinct after laying an egg?

 

[Painted Calls]

This sounds like broody behavior. Best to break her if you aren't going to let her hatch.

@aart

 

[IronMan834638]

Thanks for replying she has come out of the nesting box again now and is roaming around so I don't think she is broody but was wierd to see her put eggs back under herself

 

[aart]

Some just like to lounge.

My go-to signs of a broody bird:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

​

This is how I break them:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/