Broody- ish? That's interesting!

[ibarbidahl]

My young pullet RIR is a blonde girl - she really is. She has no problem going to the nest box and laying her egg each day. She leaves it there as she is supposed to and does not show any broody tendencies yet as far as the next box is concerned.

However! I had taken the eggs out of the box and got sidetracked trying to fix something the other day. I laid the eggs down on the ground against the fence, at a post where they were the least likely to get stepped on. The girls were out for some foraging and I thought nothing of this. They see their eggs all the time and lately I can't get home before dark and there are eggs waiting for me in the box without a hen hovering.

ANYHOW (I do have a point!) so I look down just a minute later and Blondie waddled up and started pulling those eggs right up under herself and was going to fluff up and sit on them! She didn't leave them against the fence either, she brought the eggs where she wanted them. LOL. I only watched her long enough to see her get the third egg to her and start getting comfy before I picked her up and put her with her flock and the eggs in the house.

Silly thing. Makes me wonder though what exactly it is that triggers that instinct!

 

[mstricer]

They just do. If you want chicks, give her a few fake eggs and see if she sits. You are in Florida so it should be fine.

 

[Happy Chooks]

It's most likely just nesting behavior - but she could go broody down the road.