Help! Hen acting weird

[SixSassyHens]

One of my laying hens is always fluffed up and clucking and never stops. She's still laying eggs but this behavior has been going on for about 5 days. Any ideas of what it is and what i need to do?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Sounds like broodiness. Those are the same sounds and movements that broody hens make. Is she sitting on the nest more than usual?

 

[SixSassyHens]

Yes she is. I'd let her sit but we dont have a rooster so we wont get any babies @Mountain Peeps

 

[Mountain Peeps]

You don't need a rooster for a hen to go broody. Since you can't have babies hatched you have to decide if you want to give her day old chicks, fertile eggs (you buy both these at stores) or break her. Check out the links attached.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/01/so-youve-got-broody-hen.html
http://blog.mypetchicken.com/2012/02/01/what-is-a-broody-hen/

 

[Kazfam]

Broody...

We have had two so far. If you don't want her to hatch eggs (assuming you have a rooster who has fertilized the eggs) - here is what we did:
Son set up a separate area with chicken wire (in the run) to keep her out of the nesting box.
Gave her her own water and food.
Covered up the nesting box openings at night. Took 3-4 days.
This worked very well.

BUT

Something interesting as of late - a third hen was acting broody but my son has been foraging them a couple of times a day and this seems to keep her distracted and out of the nesting box. Has not had to do the aforementioned segregation.

And they sure do act weird don't they - so NOT their usual clucky selves.