Hen keeps trilling and shaking herself

[Dragonwolfmastr]

Hiyo.

I'm a little worried about my hen right now - she keeps making a worried trilling noise and vigorously puffing herself up and shaking herself. Sometimes she flaps her wings as well, and then rushes to catch up to the other hens.

She's female, 1 1/2 years old, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte. Recently, she has been sitting in the nesting box and flattening herself out over a clutch of eggs - we thought she was broody, but she's been getting out a lot as well. Otherwise acts normally.

Is it mites? Something else?

 

[sourland]

Sounds like pre broody behavior.

 

[coach723]

It sounds like broody behavior. They will get off the nest a couple of times a day to eat, drink and poop, and sometimes dustbathe, then sit most of the rest of the time. When it gets near the hatch date she will sit and not get up at all til they hatch (assuming you are going to let her sit).

 

[Dragonwolfmastr]

Okay. She can't hatch them because we don't have a rooster, and that's why it is inconvenient that she is broody. It's fine, I was just a little worried about her. Why do they shake themselves off? @coach723 @sourland

 

[coach723]

They puff up and shake to make themselves seem bigger and more threatening, they are protecting their eggs. If she's not going to sit then it's best to break her. They don't eat or drink well. Use a wire crate, no bedding or nesting material at all, raised up on blocks or boards so air can circulate all around. Put it in the coop or run where she can see others and they can see her. Keep her there until she's not broody any more. Can take one day, or several, worst cases up to a week, to change their mind. Once you let her out, if she goes back to sitting, then it's too soon, so longer in the crate. Examples below.

 

[Dragonwolfmastr]

They puff up and shake to make themselves seem bigger and more threatening, they are protecting their eggs. If she's not going to sit then it's best to break her. They don't eat or drink well. Use a wire crate, no bedding or nesting material at all, raised up on blocks or boards so air can circulate all around. Put it in the coop or run where she can see others and they can see her. Keep her there until she's not broody any more. Can take one day, or several, worst cases up to a week, to change their mind. Once you let her out, if she goes back to sitting, then it's too soon, so longer in the crate. Examples below.
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Thanks a lot! Planning to try and break her soon. It was weird though, she was going outside and then shaking herself off as if shaking off dust from a dust bath - maybe she's stiff from sitting?