Broody Hens

[rosemarythyme]

I have two sister hens that have remained broody for over a week. My space for a brooder box is limited, so I was thinking of putting the together in the brooder cage. What do you think?

Doesn't hurt to try, especially if they normally get along otherwise. They're often so fixated on getting back to the nest that they don't think about much else

 

[Happy Novogens]

I have just 5 pullets and they are all laying eggs. One has been sitting in their favored nestbox all day. Is this being broody? Should I shoo her out of the nestbox? I don't know if her being there will keep the others from laying in their usual spot. (They have 2 nestboxes between them all.)

In the evening, they get to free roam the yard for about an hour. It's their favorite time, but she is remaining in the box.

 

[aart]

Is this being broody?

These are my go-to signs of a broody:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

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[Yardmom]

See what she does tonight. A broody hen will stay on the nest day and night. Occasionally a laying hen will just hang out on the nest a few hours.