Chicken Whisperer needed....is this hen getting ready to go broody?

[Chui Cat]

My 2 Barred Rocks seem to be low girls in the order. I went out to check on something (can't remember what, now) and Rachel was in box #2. Raquel was trying to squeeze in with her. One of them let out a squawk and she fell back onto the floor on her butt. Boy was she P.O'd!! She fluffed herself up, hackles raised, wings out and let out such a roar and tried to drag Rachel out by her comb. Then she started pecking at an exposed egg, so I snatched it away before it could get broken. After some more tussling and complaining she left the coop. Rachel meantime is pulling straw into the nest and rearranging the other eggs under her. I put the egg I had taken, back in next to her and she tucked that under her too. does this mean she is wanting to brood eggs?

to make a long story even longer, Raquel came back into the coop and tried again to drag Rachel out. I shoved Raquel into box#1. She doodled around in there for awhile, came out and went to box#3, in which there was a single egg. She fussed and picked at that egg until it rolled out onto the floor (there's one mystery solved...now I know why we find eggs in the middle of the floor). What is up with THAT?

I have company coming, and have no time, today, to sort out all these mini dramas, so I took the egg from the floor and the four that Rachel was sitting on (she was not pleased about that, kept pecking at me). Once I had all the eggs, she left the box.

I'm sure this must go on all week while we are at work. So what's the deal here?

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

She could very well be broody...

If you try to put your hand in towards her, do her neck feathers stand up?? Thats usually how I can tell.

Sounds like you need a hidden camera!!

 

[thechickenchick]

It sounds like Rachel is going broody. Check her breast feathers. If she has pulled them out, or at least a few, that is what is going on. They do this to keep the eggs warmer. As far as Raquel, sounds like she is just being ornery! Honestly maybe she likes to lay in that particular box and wants Rachel to move. Hope this helps.

 

[City Gardener]

We just noticed our hen, who seems to be broody, is missing feathers on her belly. Like a LOT of feathers. She has a giant bare patch. This is typical broody behavior?

She also fluffs up her feathers like you describe.

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Quote:
Yes, they pluck them to keep the eggs warmer...

YOU HAVE A BROODY!!!!!!