Broody?

[CashewVulture]

I have a 10 month old pullet who has started acting broody for a while now. She does the clucking, puffing up and growling noises, sits on the nest for extended periods of time (3-6 hours a day), doesn’t let the rooster anywhere near her, and yesterday even stayed overnight in a nest box. However, this morning she got out and hasn’t gone back to the nest. I know what broodies look like since I’ve had lots of them go broody and hatch chicks before and this hen definitely looks like it (her chest is even plucked naked) but she doesn’t seem to commit? What is she waiting for???

By the way, she was raised by a broody herself so I would expect her to “know” how to properly brood.

Is it normal for hens to practice a lot before really getting into it? Usually my other broodies start sitting on the eggs max 2 weeks after showing these types of behaviors.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

My chickens do that.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

My chickens aren't exactly normal, but they do that.

 

[Livia Ammon]

I’ve had chickens who partially commit to being broody: they’re just bad mothers, from what I can see

 

[CashewVulture]

I’ve had chickens who partially commit to being broody: they’re just bad mothers, from what I can see

I do know that all broodies are different, I’ve had some who barely leave the nest at all and mother their chicks for months and some who are risk takers and leave the nest for sometimes hours and who only care for their babies for the minimum 5 weeks, but do some “bad mothers” really skip on the brooding at night? I feel like those who really started brooding at least sit on the eggs each night?