How do you know a hen is going broody?

[Happy Chooks]

I have a 1yr old red star , she is laying every day, but my question is, i just got 4 more sex links, that are 4 days old, would it be a good idea to put the chicks in to see of she would raise them, or just keep them separated? pretty sure she is not broody as she does not stay in her laying box except to lay.

No. If she is not broody, she will kill them. Raise them yourself and put them together when they are the same size.

 

[missy1971]

Thank you!!

 

[Chicken5555]

Okay. I have been watching Paint (this pullet) like a hawk. The sun has set, it is dark, all the other chickens went up to roost and she is still in the nest box. She is cranky at anyone that gets near and only leaves to eat and drink. That means she is broody, doesn't it??? I am about to jump out of my socks with excitement that she might be broody.

 

[song of joy]

Okay. I have been watching Paint (this pullet) like a hawk. The sun has set, it is dark, all the other chickens went up to roost and she is still in the nest box. She is cranky at anyone that gets near and only leaves to eat and drink. That means she is broody, doesn't it??? I am about to jump out of my socks with excitement that she might be broody.

Certainly sounds like it. If she stays in the nest box for two full days and nights, she's most likely broody.

 

[FreedomFarm13]

I have a question. My SLW pullet is 10 months old now and has not started laying yet, but she was in the nest box when I went to shut their coop for the night. I reached under her to see if my other pullet had laid an egg in there before she went in, and she pecked me! She is my sweetest girl and doesn't have a mean bone in her body, so it seemed weird to me. So my question is, can a pullet that has never laid a single egg go broody? I've never heard of this happening, and I don't really think she is, but it definitely got me wondering if something like that had ever happened to any of you. Anyone know of a broody pullet that never laid an egg?

 

[aart]

I have a question. My SLW pullet is 10 months old now and has not started laying yet, but she was in the nest box when I went to shut their coop for the night. I reached under her to see if my other pullet had laid an egg in there before she went in, and she pecked me! She is my sweetest girl and doesn't have a mean bone in her body, so it seemed weird to me. So my question is, can a pullet that has never laid a single egg go broody? I've never heard of this happening, and I don't really think she is, but it definitely got me wondering if something like that had ever happened to any of you. Anyone know of a broody pullet that never laid an egg?

Pecking is just a natural defense, reaching for her in the dark could have triggered it.
She may also be close to point of lay, when their demeanor can change...don't take it personally.
I doubt she's broody, many reasons for a pullet to be in a nest at night.
My bet is she was hiding, pecking order, safer to sleep in the nest maybe.....
.....or she's really close to laying and was caught on the nest in the dark and didn't move to the roost.

I chased a pullet out of the nest at dusk a couple weeks ago, one who usually always roosts.
She went right back in, I moved her again, she flew back into the nest, dropped an egg then went to the roost.
I felt kinda bad, but it was funny.

 

[FreedomFarm13]

Pecking is just a natural defense, reaching for her in the dark could have triggered it.
She may also be close to point of lay, when their demeanor can change...don't take it personally.
I doubt she's broody, many reasons for a pullet to be in a nest at night.
My bet is she was hiding, pecking order, safer to sleep in the nest maybe.....
.....or she's really close to laying and was caught on the nest in the dark and didn't move to the roost.

I chased a pullet out of the nest at dusk a couple weeks ago, one who usually always roosts.
She went right back in, I moved her again, she flew back into the nest, dropped an egg then went to the roost.
I felt kinda bad, but it was funny.

You were right. She laid her first egg the very next day!!! Yay!! I took a pic...
It's the one on the right, it's next to her sister's egg from that day:

 

[Chicken5555]

False alarm

She has gone back to her normal routine. Even laid a small/medium olive egg today after sleeping in the roost last night. Oh, well. Maybe next time.
Thank you all for your help and comments! I'll have an idea what to look for in the future.