Hen behaving strangely

[Worried Mama]

I have a 9 month old Production Red hen that has begun behaving strangely. About 2 weeks ago she started seperating herself from the rest of the girls I have 8 other hens that are a mix of varieties. This is my first experience having chickens. What she has been doing is sitting in her nesting box all day. At first I thought she was laying an egg so I left her alone, I kept checking on her and she was still there all day. So I picked her up and checked her out and she was fine, meaning she didn't appear sick, I felt for a stuck egg, injuries, mites etc. After I picked her up I sat her down outside the nesting box she went and ate and got some water. This has happened pretty much everyday for the past 2 weeks, except she has become increasingly more aggressive to the other hens. When I go and check on her I pretty much make her leave the nesting box she comes out squawking and starts pecking at the other girls. The whole time she eats she she makes noises like she is angry. Someone suggested to me that she is broody, but she isn't sitting on any eggs. There has never been any eggs underneath her. She is very calm when she is in the nesting box and allows me to touch her, feel underneath her, lift up her wings etc. She has never been aggressive with me. I am getting concerned about her behavior towards the other chickens and that they may harm each other. This morning after making her leave the nesting box I watched for an extended period of time and a couple of my other hens were not putting up with her and seemed like they were kind of targetting her. Does anyone have any ideas what is going on with her? Is she is sick? Is she broody? If she is how can I help her? Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

My hens were broody without any eggs. So i believe your hen is broody.

 

[sumi]

It sounds like she's broody. They do go broody on no eggs sometimes. Hoping we'll get the hint LOL. Does she sleep in the nest box as well? Walk around puffed up and clucking?

 

[Worried Mama]

She does walk around puffed up and clucking. She pretty much clucks and squawks anytime one of the other hens even looks at her. Today I didn't bring her out of the nesting box and I never saw her all day. Should I leave her alone or continue to bring her out to join the group? How long will this last?

 

[gryeyes]

It will last until SHE gives up, and a really serious broody might take weeks even without eggs. With eggs, she will act this way until she hatches, so that's three weeks right there. Then a few weeks more as she raises the chicks, but she'll be outs showing her chicks how to scratch, forage, and all that chickeny stuff.

Finder her some fertile eggs and get something out of the experience instead of being worried or frustrated with her behavior.