how do you know when

[scmama3]

...A hen starts going broody?

I got my first egg yesterday from one of my leghorn hens and I was waiting on the cackle. She never did it. She stood at the edge of the nest box and stared at the other hens, and then she rolled the egg underneath her breast and sat on it. I know leghorns aren't famous for going broody and when she wouldn't move, I coaxed her down with some bread and took the egg. She didn't try to go back in. Does this mean she is going broody or was she just wanting to protect that egg for a little while?

Thanks,
Angela

 

[OutInTheStiks]

Several of ours sit on their eggs for a few minutes after laying. Personally, I would need years of therapy, an adult beverage and some major meds if THAT happened to me, not just a short break in the nest box.

When our hens are considering going broody they begin by sleeping in the nest box and spending lots of time there during the day. Their vocalizations also change. They begin to cluck around like they are talking to chicks.

 

[calicokat]

I've only had one (and it started a couple weeks ago) so I may not be the most knowledgeable on this but

I noticed that she was sitting on the nest, a lot. Wrote it off as her just taking her time laying. Then one night she slept on the nest. After that, I found her on the nest at bedtime and moved her - but she was on the nest again in the AM. ABout then, and it had been 5 to 7 days - I noticed that she hadn't layed an egg in awhile.

Checking closer I can see that she's plucked out her chest feathers to have bare skin to put on the eggs and keep them warmer. So it took about a week and a half to notice all this, and she's for sure gone broody. The good news is, I have some eggs on the way -- yippee! I'm going to have babies!!

 

[scmama3]

Okay, thanks so much for clearing that up.