Broody or What?

[Ann10]

I have an eight-month-old before Buff Orpington who went broody a few weeks ago, I used the broody cage and cool water dips and broke her in one day. She has been laying eggs and acting fine since then. Starting a few days ago, she is starting to do the behavior of that screeching sound and puffing up really big when approached. She doesn't seem to have any interest in sitting on the nest however. She laid an egg yesterday, finished and got up. I'm not sure if she is going broody again or has something else bothering her that is making her puff up so big. Her appetite seems to be just fine. She is one of the two who gets picked on often. Could this cause this behavior?

 

[krista74]

It could well be that she is flirting with being broody again.

The Orpingtons are very prone to broodiness, and even when I break mine I know it's not a done deal - they regroup and come screaming back for another go!

It would not surprise me if you were to go into the coop in a few days time to see her sitting on the nest.

Sometimes a broody hen will spend a few days laying eggs in order to gather together a decent sized clutch, and once they're satisfied they have enough eggs they will promptly stop laying and start sitting on the nest in earnest. Maybe this is what your girl has in mind....

Krista