Broody?

[akchickenman]

I have a hen that I think has gone broody, but am not totally sure. She spent all day in the nest box for the last two days and has plucked a decent amount of chest feathers, but she has laid eggs each day. I have been kicking her out of the nest box (and have now learned i need to wear gloves because she is pecking at me) but whenever I kick her out and close off the nest boxes she spends a few minutes trying to find a way back into the nest boxes and then hunkers down on the roost bar (sideways 2x4) and wont move from there... as if she is turning the roost bar into a nest...

So, it is possible she is broody despite laying eggs for the last 4 days or should I be looking for something else? And, is just closing the nest box off not enough since she is brooding on the roost bar?

I would like to break her of the broodiness because I am in Alaska and winter is coming!

 

[akchickenman]

Here is a photo of her from yesterday afternoon.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-chicken-person-is-she-broody.1200316/#post-19003408

 

[Tlmcq]

They will lay eggs up until she decides she's got a full batch to hatch and then sit full time. I would say yes she's going broody if she has pulled chest feathers, is sitting on eggs and attacks you when you try to get em.

 

[akchickenman]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-chicken-person-is-she-broody.1200316/#post-19003408

Thanks! So I see it says a few posts down (by lazy gardener) that she is not broody if she has been laying. Is there a pre broody stage where they are still laying but beginning to get ready to brood? She is so attached to the nest box that when I close one off, before I even have time to close off the other she is already in it and then I need to kick her out of there.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Thanks! So I see it says that she is not broody if she has been laying. Is there a pre broody stage where they are still laying but beginning to get ready to brood? She is so attached to the nest box that when I close one off, before I even have time to close off the other she is already in it and then I need to kick her out of there.

Are you SURE she is laying, and not sitting on others eggs? Check her vent

 

[akchickenman]

They will lay eggs up until she decides she's got a full batch to hatch and then sit full time. I would say yes she's going broody if she has pulled chest feathers, is sitting on eggs and attacks you when you try to get em.

Ok... seems like there is a lot of debate over whether broody hens lay eggs which I think has been confusing me. I think I will treat it as if she is broody, put her in a dog kennel for a few days without bedding (but with food and water) and see if that helps.

 

[akchickenman]

Are you SURE she is laying, and not sitting on others eggs? Check her vent

Yes, unfortunately she is the only one reliably laying thus far. My other two just started laying last weekend but have not laid another (also her eggs are different color than the two new layers)

 

[Smuvers Farm]

They will lay eggs up until she decides she's got a full batch to hatch and then sit full time. I would say yes she's going broody if she has pulled chest feathers, is sitting on eggs and attacks you when you try to get em.

This!!

 

[Tlmcq]

If she is indeed broody this may help
https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/6-ways-to-break-a-broody-hen/
There are also lots of post on here with info on breaking broodiness