Hopefully just broody...

[ccat1]

I have a year+ old Black Copper Maran who all of a sudden wants to stay in the nest box.
She started a cluck a few days ago that she hasn't done before, but never showed any signs of sickness or pain.
Friday, she got up in the nest box in mid afternoon and stayed until Saturday afternoon. She did lay an egg at some point.
She went again late yesterday afternoon, stayed all night and came down around noon.
After staying in the pen and running around out in the yard a few hours, she is back in the nest box.
I don't understand a broody hen, so hopefully someone will let me know what might be the cause.
She has been eating/grooming/messing around like normal.
When she is in the nest box, I put my hand under her to see what she will do.......she cackles some and lifts her feathers some, but doesn't act like she is going to get up.
Any help on this will be appreciated.
ccat1

 

[vintagegem]

She definitely sounds like she's broody! I have 2 out of 7 hens that have gone broody these last few weeks and they act the same, feather fluffing, cackling and even growling!. They only go out a couple of times a day if I don't evict them from the nest boxes.

 

[ccat1]

It's about 5:30pm Monday. this hen went up to the nest box about 3pm yesterday and is still there.
What do I do? i reached under her and pulled out 2 eggs and the golf ball that stays in the next box.
Do I reach in and just pull her out and put her in the pen? I know she hasn't eaten while in there, or had any water.
I have had no experience with Broody hens.
I am worried about her not eating/drinking.
thanks for any help given.
ccat1

 

[vintagegem]

I have 2 broodies and I go in several times a day and put them out in the run, they eat and drink then, and after I'm sure my other hens have all laid I put the broodies out with the others to range and I close the pop door so they can't get back in for few hours, they get a but mad for a few minutes but then go about their chicken business quite happily!, you can break them fairly quickly from being broody by putting them in a cage apart from the nest area, I don't have anywhere to separate mine so I'm just going in frequently and putting them out of the coop, I suspect it will take a while but I'm sure I'll get there in the end.