Is my hen broody?

[BLaBauve]

I have a 1 year old Buff Brahma that I noticed was in the nest a few hours ago. Well, when I went outside at dark to lock them in for the night she was still on the nest. When I touched her she puffed up a lot and squealed at me. Does this mean she is broody? Do they sit on the eggs all night?? Should I get her some fertile eggs? I've never had a broody hen! Is it typical for Brahmas to go broody?

Thanks!

 

[PhilErvin]

Sounds like she has gone broody. When they go broody they shut down the egg maker and sit on whatever is available. My other girls like to squeeze in with her to lay their eggs so I simply lift her out of the nest and take the eggs. My wife takes her completly out of the nest and sits her on the ground so that she has to walk past her food and water to getback to the nest. She stops and eats like she is starving and drinks like she is thirsty. We know that she gets up and eats and drinks during the day but my wife feels better doing this.
Also you'll start noticing BIG piles of poo

we wondered what made them and then relized that the brooding hens don't get off the nest to poop all the time but saves it for once a day.

 

[BLaBauve]

Interesting.... thanks for the info. I'm tempted to get her some fertile eggs to sit on. Do I have to separate her? Or can she stay in the coop on the fertile eggs? I assume if any eggs hatch I'll need to move her so the chicks don't get killed by the other hens.

 

[card5640]

yes sounds like shes broody, if tomorrow she is still sitting get her some eggs, have fun! Love my broody girls

 

[Happy Day Farm]

We had the same thing happen 3 weeks ago with a 1 year old New Hampshire Red. Yours definitely sounds broody. She sat on one egg from another chicken and the likelyhood of it being fertilized was next to none. We decided to let her sit on it (usually lasts 3 weeks) just in the remote possibility that it was fertilized. On Monday morning, the egg hatched! I am soooo glad we didn't take it away. She loves, loves this one little chick. We had to put her in the garage in a dog cage with the chick to protect it for a couple of weeks. She is the best mother. Ride it out. Sometimes they just know....

Ours would puff up and make all kinds of noise when we opened the nesting box. It was harmless though. She would get up and eat/drink so a very quick trip out of the coop and she did not go to the bathroom in the nest. I guess we got lucky there.

 

[BLaBauve]

Ok so I can leave her in the coop until it's almost hatch date? Just make sure she still eats and drinks?Will she take all the other hens eggs too? I guess I'll need to mark the fertile eggs. Just make sure she still eats and drinks

 

[Happy Day Farm]

We didn't bother ours. She kept a close eye on her nesting box and ran back in if any other hen even looked at it. She ate and drank when the other chickens left the coop to go outside. We left her in until it hatched. She will sit on it completely and protect it. I would just check it frequently around the 3 week mark. The baby is 3 days old and she only lets it get a few inches away her and she scoots over and sits on it to keep it close and warm. Its really pretty cool. Hang in there and see what happens.