“Pre” broody behavior?

[Thechickenchick2]

I have a 6 month old Asian Black that spends a bit of time in the nesting box. She isn’t by any means in it all day but spends more time than most in the am. She always has feathers plucked out on the eggs by the time she’s done and is laid pretty flat as she’s on them. I can so far touch her and go near her but none of my other girls can go anywhere near her without her fluffing up and growling. Are these signs of future broodiness or could really just be anything?

 

[Acre4Me]

I’m curious as well. We have a barred rock that just started laying recently. She takes forever to lay, stays in the box quite awhile, and she will growl at us and all other pullets if she’s in the nest box. However, she does leave the nest box eventually after laying an egg.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

I’m curious as well. We have a barred rock that just started laying recently. She takes forever to lay, stays in the box quite awhile, and she will growl at us and all other pullets if she’s in the nest box. However, she does leave the nest box eventually after laying an egg.

Same here. Spends a lot more time in there but definitely does join her flock mates and is sleeping with them and eating/drinking regularly. Her growling and feather plucking has me most curious on my end. Hopefully we get some answers!

 

[Acre4Me]

I’ll have to pay attention to feather plucking, I haven’t noticed that yet, but haven’t looked for it. The growling is the strangest thing to hear coming from a chicken!! She looks and sounds terribly grouchy!

 

[EggWalrus]

Sounds like she's getting broody. Especially when they pancake over the eggs. First time I saw a broody pancaking, I thought one of the other birds crushed her. Chickens not only growl, but can make some down right scarey sounds too! Both movies, Aliens and Predator, used chicken sounds to make the monsters sound scarier.

 

[aart]

The plucking is the only real broody sign....have seen non broodies do the rest.

 

[EggWalrus]

If you plan on throwing some eggs under her to hatch, give her about a week to make sure she's not just pseudo-broody. Nothing sucks like giving her some eggs only to have her up and leave them after sitting on them for about a week. Quite a few 1st timers will do that. Personally, I break them if show show broodiness signs for the first 6 months that they lay. I get less cases of false broody and they seemed to be better mothers with a little age.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

Thanks guys. I at some point would certainly let her hatch some but certainly not now. I’m not trying to have her set for 10 days and quit and I’m honestly not in the position for any chicks at the moment. I have about 15 silkie chicks and it’s plenty for me right now. The feather plucking as I said is what got me most. She’s plucking out some chest feathers every times she lays... I guess time will tell! She’s been laying for about a month now so

 

[EggWalrus]

Time to break the broody! If you'll do a search for breaking broodys, there are lots of good articles on how to break her. I found a couple days in the wire bottom dog create will work wonders.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Pre broody behavior... I always see outside among the flock starting a couple days in advance... indicated by the head dropping down and wings flaring out plus a bit of a cluck cluck sound.

The other behaviors I have seen as a standard pecking order, I'm laying here, leave me alone type thing.

I also will NOT let pullets sit, hatch, or brood chicks... until 1 year old as her mind AND body are still going through changes.

In my experience... even truly broody hens can continue laying up to 3 days AFTER they start sitting. But being slow in the box is pretty normal for some ladies.