This is such a great thread.
I last had a broody hen about 5 years ago, one of my Buff Orpingtons (page 91 in this thread). Now I have a part time broody hen, one of my Barred Rocks, Sophia.
I say part time, bc she isn't displaying the usual obsessive broodiness (in the box 24/7, poofing feathers etc) that I experienced with my BO, but after the last few days, I'm pretty sure Sophia is somewhat Broody or working her way to full on broody.
She is one of 6 hens I have, hatched March 2020. She was the last of the group to start laying, and is in the middle to bottom of pecking order. (not sure if any of that matters).
The last few days I have caught her in the nest box when I get home from work and sleeping in the box- which she has never done in the year they have been in the outside coop. I leave pretty early for work, but most times the girls are outside before I leave. .The last couple days, I find Sophia in the next box, while everyone else is enjoying the outdoors. Yesterday, I came home from work and found her in the nest box, with one of my other hens who was actually laying an egg. Also, She has always been one to "get mad" when I collect eggs.
Yesterday afternoon I got her out of the box and in the yard, she stayed out with the rest of the flock til bedtime.
during Last nights check she was in the nest box when everyone was roosting and I left her there, as she was "screaming" when I tried to take her out and didn't feel like fighting her. This morning, she was in the box while everyone was outside. I literally took the box (old milk crate) and brought her outside, dumped her the ground, (nicely, Im not a jerk lol) and she scratched around a bit before hopping back in the coop. I had to leave for work and didn't have time to keep dealing with her.
Im getting a wire cage tonight and she is going in chicken jail asap.
one question tho- I didn't think using a cat or dog crate would work since they are solid bottoms, but I read here some have done that. The only wire cage I have right now is a racoon trap, so hopefully that works.