Is broody behavior gradual or sudden?

[CoopBoots]

Hey friends, looking for observations about your broody girls. I've experienced broody hens in my childhood -- the dinosaur screaming, puffiness, stomping around angry haha, egg protectiveness, all that. However, I never saw the lead up (if there was any) to onset, just noticed this behavior in the nestbox and then every time they were removed after. Are there any early signs in a hen that may be leaning broody but isn't all the way there yet (say, hormones are rising but not yet at peak to induce sitting)?

 

[WIchickMama]

I have never seen any, for me it has always been....go out to get eggs and find a screaming dinosaur at me! lol

 

[Gone fishing12]

Hey friends, looking for observations about your broody girls. I've experienced broody hens in my childhood -- the dinosaur screaming, puffiness, stomping around angry haha, egg protectiveness, all that. However, I never saw the lead up (if there was any) to onset, just noticed this behavior in the nestbox and then every time they were removed after. Are there any early signs in a hen that may be leaning broody but isn't all the way there yet (say, hormones are rising but not yet at peak to induce sitting)?

Some chickens act broody and they never get down to business. Are you hoping your hen will set?

 

[3KillerBs]

My girls seem to show a few days of considering the possibility -- acting broody in the nest but resuming normal life when removed -- before they start sitting solidly.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I have seen both. It seems to always be older/more experienced broodies that walk around clucking for a couple of days before I find them pancaked on a clutch of eggs.

 

[DonyaQuick]

My hens became broody over at least a week, more in one case. The earliest signs were sitting in the nest box for a couple hours at odd times a few days in a row without laying an egg, and also making lower-pitched-than-normal "ork ork" noises whenever I brought treats. The "ork" noises were the very first sign in one of my hens.

 

[SourRoses]

It depends on the hen and their feelings. Being female, they are entitled to change their minds.
We haven't had any dinos yet. Our only broodies were Faverolles and Speckled Sussex. The Sussex especially were quiet, handleable sitters.
Not so tame when the chicks were hatched though... we once had to remove a first-timer who was stepping all over the chicks and she and my mom were having what I can only describe as a knock-down drag-out fight (I was busy doing my best to protect the chicks).

 

[CoopBoots]

Some chickens act broody and they never get down to business. Are you hoping your hen will set?

Yes and no, haha. It's just now getting cold in my part of the world and my girls are only 6 and a half months old, but one of them is acting funny. When I catch her sitting she dinos (screams and fluffs all over), when other hens go to lay she dinos at them, and when she's out and about her default noise is now the dino sound minus as much fluff. She isn't glued to the box and still laid an egg today, but nobody acts at all like her even when I'm stealing eggs right in front of them. Maybe it's just her personality to be protective on the nest? But the behavior has been getting more noticeable for around a week...

 

[Gone fishing12]

Yes and no, haha. It's just now getting cold in my part of the world and my girls are only 6 and a half months old, but one of them is acting funny. When I catch her sitting she dinos (screams and fluffs all over), when other hens go to lay she dinos at them, and when she's out and about her default noise is now the dino sound minus as much fluff. She isn't glued to the box and still laid an egg today, but nobody acts at all like her even when I'm stealing eggs right in front of them. Maybe it's just her personality to be protective on the nest? But the behavior has been getting more noticeable for around a week...

She’s probably going broody/already broody. It’s not a good time of the year for making babies. But it could be fine. I had a 4.5 month old silkie go broody a couple winters ago (she wasn’t laying eggs yet), she set off chicks in late December.
She was something, best mothering abilities. 3 of her 4 chicks are adults.

 

[Mary Poopins Love]

I have had 2 broody hens, as I have a rooster they get to hatch babies. Whenever I had broodies it was all sudden, no signs. The only thing that hints it is that they remove their feathers on there belly. I have not had any dino behaviors, just puffing and one peck.