How Do You Know When They're Actually Broody?

[Rillowen]

My broody hens have the same kinds of behaviors:

• They tend to make this weird sort of throaty cluck, almost sounds like they're gulping.
• They'll often pull their belly feathers out to warm the eggs better.
• They'll lay claim to a nesting box and won't want to leave it. They'll only leave once or twice a day to feed, drink, and leave a HUGE poop somewhere.
• While nesting, they'll tend to spread their feathers and bodies out to cover a whole clutch of eggs. They're much more likely to peck you and they'll make this weird growling noise when you approach the nesting box. Some people call this "the angry pancake."
• Broody hens tend to be ornery when they are out and about, and will growl and be otherwise aggressive to the other flock members. I had one last summer that would have all her feathers extended when she stalked the feeders on her daily walk, looking like a feathered puffer-fish.

I knew most of these behaviors, but it really confused me when she lays if you take the eggs she just stops and goes back to normal! But i guess she is just "ramping up" . We kept meat birds when I was growing up, we had over 30 but got a happy 12 eggs a day (family of 8, so that was just enough lol). But not once did any of those meat birds go broody. I have been looking forward to it now that we had a broody breed, but the on again off again confused me!