Broody hen bossed out?

[socks]

Hi, I've been hoping one of my hens would go truly broody for awhile. One of the one year old Barnevelder's has showed inclinations in the past. This time my husband said she stayed in the nest for a few days but it was only tonight that I got to go down in the dark and see if she was really staying the night (she didn't in the past). But to my surprise it was one of my 3 year old Wyandottess sitting there in the dark.

Anybody know what's going on?? Did my wyandotte suddenly get broody (never shown signs before)? Is she just being bossy--this may be the bossy one. I am just wondering if this is a known behaviour and what to expect.

Thanks, I would appreciate your thoughts

 

[Judy]

Staying in the nest essentially 24/7 is a good sign of being broody. Does she growl when you approach, peck if you try to remove her, fluff out and squawk when removed? Is she flattened out in the nest? Has she plucked a bare spot on her chest, for contact with the eggs?

I don't exactly get why staying on the nest would be being bossy, though.

 

[devora]

So you are wondering if your Wyandotte is broody, is that right? The one-year-olds aren't really part of this scenario?

Like stated above, if she's on the nest all night she's probably broody. And I would like to know, as well, where the "bossy" bit comes in.

 

[socks]

Hi, haha, sorry....what do I mean by bossy? I meant I wasn't sure if she was truly being broody or just bossing the other hen (who was originally sitting there for a couple of days) out because, well she is the head hen. She's over three years old and this is the first time she's shown the slightest sign of broodiness. But well, it's two nights now and she seems to be staying there and she is flattened out as you described. We're going to try to move her to the broody coop under stealth of darkness.

I am wondering though if broodiness is catching like a pheromone thing in the air because our neighbours hens have been going broody and now ours. Anyway, my hens don't like to be picked up so I hope the move goes well.

thanks

 

[Judy]

It does sometimes seem that hens tend to go broody if there is another broody in the coop, but I don't know about catching it from the neighbors, LOL! It is that time of year, after all -- actually it's even getting a little late in the season.