Broody or Moody?

[SarahDier]

I have a 6 month old White Leghorn that started laying recently. The last couple days she has gone to her nesting box and spent up to 4 hours in it. The first day she finally jumped out all frantic/upset without having laid an egg. Yesterday she spent another 4+ hours in the box and every time another bird would come to look in on her, she would make this really strange aggressive sound until they left. When I looked in on her, her eyes were wide open like she was in a trance or something. I tried offering her a treat and she snapped at me. I've never seen this behavior in any of them before. She eventually laid an egg and left the nest making a big vocal fuss about her achievement, and that was that. Is she becoming broody or just moody?

 

[fluffycrow]

She's just a girl that's really passionate about protecting her space while laying. I've never had a girl need 4 hours to lay an egg though, do you supplement with oyster shells or give any sort of calcium to them?

 

[21hens-incharge]

She is a new layer just figuring things out.

 

[SarahDier]

She's just a girl that's really passionate about protecting her space while laying. I've never had a girl need 4 hours to lay an egg though, do you supplement with oyster shells or give any sort of calcium to them?

I do have a thing of oyster shells out for them.

 

[fluffycrow]

I do have a thing of oyster shells out for them.

Then you needn't worry. She's just a little diva. And as 21hens-incharge said, a rather inexperienced diva