Going broody or normal?

[Blizzkona]

My 7 month old silkie/polish cross first started laying about a month ago. At first it was irregular, but recently I've been getting an egg a day. Almost have a dozen!
Anyway, a few days ago she started to greet me in the mornings with a raptor noise that sounds like the angry noises a broody hen will make while on her nest. She isn't sitting when she does this, though. I also noticed her tucking the fake eggs under herself while in the nest box. Are these normal behaviors, or could she be thinking about going broody? I read somewhere that hens don't go broody during their first year of laying.​

 

[sourland]

She might very well be pre broody. Many hens go broody early in their first laying cycle. Given her silkie DNA it would not be at all surprising.

 

[Blizzkona]

I tried to take one of the eggs from her and she bit me twice. I really hope she isn't since she's my only layer. My other two girls are still too young.​

 

[aart]

Tucking eggs and biting when eggs are taken from under a bird can be normal rather than broody behaviors.

Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

 

[Blizzkona]

Tucking eggs and biting when eggs are taken from under a bird can be normal rather than broody behaviors.

Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

When I removed her from the nest box she just sat on the ground for a couple minutes making unhappy chicken noises until her "sidekick" came over to see what the problem was and be angsty with her. She didn't go back to the coop but did walk across the yard while throwing leaves and sticks over her back the whole time. Also, whenever I go outside she does the broody screech, and when I give all my gals treats she's very aggressive and only wants the pieces the others have. She growls/hisses too. She never used to do this so it's bizarre but funny to watch.

 

[aart]

Sounds like she may very well be 'pre-broody'.