Is My Hen Broody?

[MaximillianGms]

I have a hen who is sitting flatly in the nesting box and attacking my hand when I reach close to her, which I know is a sign of broodiness. However, she didn't make any noise at all, so could she have just been laying an egg? I pulled an egg from under her and set it off to the side and after a moment she pulled it back under her. She's a Buff Orpington, so I've been wondering if she'll go broody, but she's the youngest laying hen I have. I live 30 minutes away from my flock at the moment (we're hoping to move back to where they are withing the next year or so) so I'm not able to check on them very often. I did take a photo of her though.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

She is broody

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Yup, thats a broody!
You'll especially be able to tell if she doesn't start coming off the nest.

 

[MaximillianGms]

Thank yall!! I'll try to go check on them tomorrow and see if she's still sitting in there. Is there any risk of the other hens pulling her out by any chance? We have 3 more laying boxes but none of the hens use those, just the one she's in.

 

[NatJ]

She MIGHT be broody.

But sometimes hens act like that while they sit on the nest before they lay their egg, and sometimes they act like that while sitting for a bit after they lay their egg.

If you keep finding the same hen on the nest for several days, and especially if you find that she sleeps in the nest at night instead of on the roost, then you will know she is actually broody.

 

[MaximillianGms]

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the info! I will definitely keep that in mind.

 

[aart]

Is there any risk of the other hens pulling her out by any chance? We have 3 more laying boxes but none of the hens use those, just the one she's in.

Probably not but they may well lay in her nest,
which can be problem if you plan on lettering her hatch.

Put fake eggs in the other nests.