Educate me: What is broody?

[dale]

One of my chickens is in the nesting box until I show up and get the egg. Is this being 'broody'?

She is real irritated when I scoot her out and get the egg. After the scolding she runs off to join the others out in free-range land.

bwak! bwak! (scold, grumble, scold some more) bwak! bwak!

 

[cozycritters]

Sounds like it...

Broody just means she wants to hatch some little ones

 

[Guitartists]

She might be thinking about it.... but from what I understand (no broodies of my own yet) they're not broody until they refuse to move out of the nest box period. They won't just get up and go once the egg is gone.

 

[speckledhen]

I have several hens who screech and/or peck my hand if I try to get their eggs, but they are not broody. Usually a broody will sit, trance-like, either screeching and fluffing out or just act like she is protecting her eggs. She will not go to roost when she's serious, but will stay on the nest all night long.

 

[dale]

I'm amazed at how quickly the answers come around this place. Many thanks.

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:

What kind of birdy is it??
christina

 

[jvls1942]

your hen is not broody. You might have caught her just after she laid an egg. some hens just like to sit and ponder awhile after laying an egg.. You just messed up her "quiet time"..

A real broody will posture it you put them on the ground from out of the nest.. usually they will sort of squat with their head lowered and feathers puffed up.. Once you see it, you will know what I mean..

 

[rooster-red]

 

[dale]

Quote:

What kind of birdy is it??
christina

A chicken! That's the extent of my knowledge LOL!

 

[speckledhen]

Here's a couple of pics of one of the Buff Orps who went broody a couple times, Sunny. In the second pic, she's doing what I call her "Broody War Cry"....scary! Third pic is the Weebles Airplane imitation.