Broody Pekin?

[DucksinOR]

Hi, we have a 9 month-old Crested Pekin hen, Baby, who is acting really strange. She was in the greenhouse with us and was acting normal, then she went over to the chicken's nest in the straw bale, and started making the sweetest cooyest sounds I have ever heard a duck make. She then proceeded to pull straw out of the bale and put it around her and turn in circles until the nest was just perfect for her. She has not left the nest except when her buddies went to bed. Even then, she just stood in the greenhouse quacking happily and then went back to her nest. She is sleeping in the greenhouse tonight away from her buddies (witch is unheard of for Baby to do). Is this a sign of broodiness? We also found a clutch of 8 duck eggs under one of the bushes in the backyard (there were no feathers in the nest).

We are pretty new to ducks and have no clue about broodiness with them.

Thanks!

 

[Kevin565]

She sounds like she's going broody to me

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I'm going to go with Kevin, sounds like your gal is broody. My Old Lady (in the far left of my pic) was sitting on her nest all by herself last night and today she hissed at me. So my Pekin is definitely broody! Watch out for the broody poops.

 

[jdywntr]

Sounds like she is. Is the greenhouse safe from predators etc so she and the nest will be okay in there?

 

[DucksinOR]

The weird thing is, she is pretty much back to normal today I set her in the greenhouse and she looked like she might want to settle down again. Does this still mean she is wanting to go broody? Yes the greenhouse is safe from predators.

 

[jdywntr]

My muscovy will usually start setting on their nests at night but not during the day. After a few days, they start to set during the day too. She may be thinking about it. She may be thinking about anything though while she's sitting there.

 

[DucksinOR]

Update: Baby has now been sitting on the nest for a week and a half. We put six eggs under her a week ago today so we only have three more weeks until we get some "extreme cuteness." She also gets off the nest around two or three times a day to have fun with her buddies and take a bath, and every time she gets off she carefully covers the nest with straw and feathers. She is being a very good mother.

 

[jdywntr]

Congrats.

 

[DeckDuck]

That is really cute!

 

[Nebraskagirl]

That is adorable!