broody hen???

[rockchicks]

This is my first time with chickens. They are 6 month old barred rock hens. They just recently started laying. Today I noticed one sitting in the meeting box. When I opened door, I noticed it was throwing wood chips on its back. I shooed it away, it was sitting on one egg. When I took the egg it sqwawked for few minutes, then went back to the empty nest. Does this sounds like a broody hen. They just started laying like 2 weeks ago. Any suggestions

 

[gryeyes]

She's just playing at it right now. But she's working on it! ;-). I don't consider a hen broody until she spends two nights straight sitting in her nest (not going to roost).

Her putting shavings on her back is typical for some laying hens. I think they are prettying themselves up after their egg is laid. It's really a throwback to hiding herself and her nest, mostly symbolic at this stage of domesticated poultry. Awfully cute, though.

 

[debid]

No, it sounds like you interrupted her while she was trying to lay her egg. Many, if not all, of my hens sit in whichever nest has already been used when ready to lay and they often toss nesting material on their backs. Oh, and I have one that is fond of moving eggs to her preferred nest and then she lays her egg. She has yet to go broody even though she's sometimes in the nests for hours messing about.

 

[rachaelakers]

I have one hen that does the same thing. Odd thing is though she is not laying. She takes care of the other hens eggs. And I caught her today taking care of the two that the other hens laid this morning.