Does this mean she's broody?

[1lpoock]

I never thought silver sebrights could go broody, but she has been hanging out in the nest boxes often and she sometimes likes to sleep in them. Usually I go and collect eggs and she jumps right out and runs away. However, tonight I reached in her box to get the eggs and she didnt budge. She then puffed up her feathers and every time I would get close she would make all kind of weird growling noises? Is she broody?

 

[PatS]

People are going to say yes, but I'm not sure.

My buff orpintons all go puffy and growl if I'm checking for eggs and they're in the boxes. Or if I clean the coop while they're in the nestboxes. They always have.

But with mine, if they keep going back to the box after I've taken them out (I do if they hang around in there for hours), and try to sleep in the nest box, that's when I suspect broodiness.

 

[jennh]

I would say yes. I have a lt brahma that just went broody after 4 years

. Now she, my black cochin, and my BO are "mothering" 2 chicks!

Jen

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Sounds like broody to me, most of mine (mutts) will also jump out when I reach under for the eggs, when they fluff up and peck/growl at me, I note the nest and replace the eggs with my choice. Just today I had another go broody on me this year so far, so I substituted guinea eggs. Darn Guineas lay in the fields and either get eaten by raccoons or the keets die from hypothermia from exposure to the morning dew.

 

[1lpoock]

I think she is because she was still in there this morning. I would like to put some eggs under her, but there is a problem. There are still other hens that want to lay in the box shes in. This morning when I went back a white leghorn was in the box and the silver sebright was under her still trying to stay in the box....would it hurt to move her?

 

[NYREDS]

Sounds broody to me & BTW I've had Sebrights go broody. Moving them somtimes works & sometimes doesn't but leaving her in a nest that other hens can access isn't an option. When you move her move her at night with as little light as possible. Put her & her eggs in a closely confined space & hope for the best.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
What I do if other hens are also laying in the same box is mark the eggs ( X marks the spot) you want her to hatch and every few days remove the unmarked ones. I have also slipped Guinea eggs under a hen, those are easy to differentiate.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Does she come out for treats?

She may be broody, but puffing up and screeching doesn't always mean broody. My light brahma has done that to me for about 9 months now, and she's never been broody. And she screeches when other chickens come in while she's laying. Maybe she's just thinking about it for a really long time.

 

[1lpoock]

Hmm I'll try treats when I get home. I mean she usually jumps right out when she sees me, but last night she wouldn't get out.