Is my chicken broody or just a drama queen?

[Nnyuu]

My leghorn (Donut) has been on her nest all morning. She has been known to take her time, but not to this extent. She hasn't come out since I opened it up about 5 hours ago.

I've been told broodiness is a bit of a rarity in leghorns, and she's also quite young as well. She's only been laying for a few weeks.

What say you, knowledgeable BYC peeps? Is she just a drama queen or is she wanting to be a mommy?

She's a bit cranky

 

[aart]

I have no idea why she was on there so long. Just a bit of unnecessary drama it seems

The drama might have been all yours
Some birds like to lounge before/after laying.

 

[Nnyuu]

Time to set up a breaker cage, since you mentioned not wanting chicks at this time.

After talking with my husband about it and making sure we had another pen set up for her just in case, we decided to let her hatch 4 eggs. 1 was not fertile, but she did a great job hatching the other 3! I was worried she wouldn't stay on the nest but she did a fantastic job and is now quite the happy mama taking care of her babies. So far she has been a great protector as well and they are doing fine with the rest of the flock.

Here's a picture of mama with 2 of them, I can never seen to get a good one with all 3 babies

 

[Aapomp831]

Probably not. Sometimes they just take extra time - I wouldn’t worry unless you notice straining to poop, walking like a penguin or lethargy. Taking a long time to lay or not laying at all doesn’t always indicate egg binding. Leghorns are bred to lay tons of eggs (BIG ones) and I personally believe it takes a time on their little bodies. Also check the vent - make sure it looks ok.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Her yelling at me is what made me really question it, usually she doesn't care or mind me checking in for eggs even if she is still there. I haven't had a broody chicken before though, so I have nothing to go off of

Here's a test. Take her off the nesting box, & listen to her cluck pattern, if she sounds like a ticking time bomb, then she's broody. Also if she goes back to the next will also give you your answer.

 

[Nnyuu]

Update on what happens?

Sorry for the delay, but we're good. I took her off and she squawed at me a bit and then wandered off. She did lay and her vent looks fine. I'm assuming if she was broody she would have gone back to the nest but she's happily wandering the yard now. I have no idea why she was on there so long. Just a bit of unnecessary drama it seems

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sorry for the delay, but we're good. I took her off and she squawed at me a bit and then wandered off. She did lay and her vent looks fine. I'm assuming if she was broody she would have gone back to the nest but she's happily wandering the yard now. I have no idea why she was on there so long. Just a bit of unnecessary drama it seems

She could have been feeling lazy, & grouchy.

 

[DuckinMadHouse]

I guess my girl is an oddity? Some say leg horns aren't known for being broody but my white leg horn Sonic is by far my broodiest girl of all my assortment. She goes broody at least 3 times a year and sounds like a velociraptor from Jurassic park when we go near her nest. She's done it since her first laying season ( she's 3 now). If we take everyones eggs from her she will run around and be back to laying but if we let her sit for more then 2 days she's determined to hatch something, ( including a rock one year). She's our best momma out of all 15 girls.

 

[rosemarythyme]

She might be going broody, and the lazing around the nest boxes was the lead up to it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

She slept in the nesting box last night. She did come out when I opened the coop this morning and drank water like crazy, ate a little bit, and then went back in. I think I may officially have a broody leghorn.

Time to set up a breaker cage, since you mentioned not wanting chicks at this time.