Chicken acting broody but isn't broody

[Emelyn]

My ISA brown chicken a few days ago was showing the signs of a broody hen (she kept screaming at me and fluffing her feathers)and she was on top of my other chickens eggs! But when I checked a few hours later she was not there and there was an egg. Do you know why she did that?

 

[Gallinarium]

My ISA brown chicken a few days ago was showing the signs of a broody hen (she kept screaming at me and fluffing her feathers)and she was on top of my other chickens eggs! But when I checked a few hours later she was not there and there was an egg. Do you know why she did that?

Hens about to lay an egg get defensive and often act broody. After all, it's the temporary surge of broody hormones that causes them to seek a nest to lay in.
Completely normal.

 

[fluffy07]

My buff orpington hen is acting strange! She is making the noises of a broody, raising her wing feathers to other hens, but not sitting. She may be confused, but I am MORE so.

 

[Emelyn]

My buff orpington hen is acting strange! She is making the noises of a broody, raising her wing feathers to other hens, but not sitting. She may be confused, but I am MORE so.

Did she lay an egg and then leave? Is she about 6-10 months old if she is then it's most likely her broodiness instincts just starting to kick in. Also buff orpingtons are known to be broody A LOT.

 

[aart]

My ISA brown chicken a few days ago was showing the signs of a broody hen (she kept screaming at me and fluffing her feathers)and she was on top of my other chickens eggs! But when I checked a few hours later she was not there and there was an egg. Do you know why she did that?

Even non-broody birds will do that when disturbed on the nest.

 

[Emelyn]

Even non-broody birds will do that when disturbed on the nest.

She's the only one that does this and I'm not sure why

 

[Gallinarium]

She's the only one that does this and I'm not sure why

Some just do it more than others. It's a sure bet that my buff Minorca will act nasty when nesting, but none of my Leghorns ever care.