Broody hen's personality means what??

[ScoobyRoo]

I have had chickens going on my 3rd year. But the broody hens are still fairly new to me. We had one go broody (hers and ours, first) and hatched out a clutch last Thanksgiving. Her 'Snowball' personality was gentle. We could move her around and peek under her. She is a great Mama to her chicks. She just hatched out a 2nd set two weeks ago. Same personality. A second hen 'Flo' (first time broody) due to hatch her clutch any day has the same personality, calm. Am I right to think she will also be a good Mama? Here is my 'wondering' I have yet a third hen (first time, also) that may be going broody. This girl will peck viciously at me while trying to check for eggs. Does this mean she could be a 'killer' Mama and hurt the babies? I have to check for eggs as other hens are using the same nest

and I need to extract them. If I know for sure she is broody, I will only allow her to set on 4-5 eggs and isolate her from the others. I may consider putting plastic eggs under her so I can replace with guinea keets when they are available. But her 'mean' attitude has me wondering if the keets would survive or if she would kill them.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

Her mean attitude doesn't necessarily mean that she'll be a bad mother. She may just be more protective of her chicks. It's actually more the exception to have a nice broody; even our silkie went nuts when she had chicks (she tried to attack the head hen

).

 

[ScoobyRoo]

My sister had said the same thing. I know they are all different but I guess I was looking for reassurance. I had to move her out of the cat box and put her in a different location just in case she is broody. I didn't wait till dark. I just dumped her butt out of the box along with the eggs and moved her. She fretted for awhile. I checked later and she was setting on the eggs. I just got spoiled by the other two broodies with their calm disposition.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

My sweetie B.O. tturned into a monster when she went broody. She was a great momma, and would have fought off wolves for her baby.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Ugh... I swear my Silkies were schizo when they went broody. The first two that I had broody (went broody at the same time) hatched a clutch of 12 together. For some odd reason these girls hated STICKS! They would let me check for eggs, pick up chicks, and let them underneath for warmth. All in all good mothers, but if I get one stick, about an inch in diameter and a foot or two long, they would go into assassin mode! They would spread their wings out and peck the crap out of it! This was their first time brooding. The second time they did, I added a third hen who also aided in raising another clutch of nine. This hen would scream her head off if you got near her eggs, no pecking, just loud honking. But she wasn't as aggressive with the sticks as the others. She did, however, protect them from other animals and hated it when the cat, dog, or even squirrels got close. Like I said.... schizo

 

[they'reHISchickens]

or the sticks looked like snakes to your nearsighted silkies.

In my experience, one of the tests for broodiness is the hen pecking at you when you check under her for eggs.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

they'reHISchickens :

or the sticks looked like snakes to your nearsighted silkies.

In my experience, one of the tests for broodiness is the hen pecking at you when you check under her for eggs.

No, these Silkies have never seen a snake. And they shouldn't be near-sighted because they are hatchery birds and have small crests. Each one can see very clearly. If the stick was laying on the ground they would ignore it, but only if I were to move it.​