Broody hen?

[Everett500]

I have this hen who sits on the eggs all day long and appears to be broody(puffs up and growls when approached) but at night is going into the roost, leaving the eggs behind. It's very early in the cycle and I was wondering if this is normal or if this hen isn't broody at all and I need to invest in an incubator? We live in Ga and it has been hot recently so would the eggs just be staying warm enough over night?

 

[Judy]

I don't think any eggs will hatch as long as she is roosting. It does sound like she might be working her way towards being broody, but she also might be staying on the nest for other reasons. Perhaps she does not feel well. Perhaps she is at the bottom ov the pecking order and stays there to avoid being pciked on.