is my hen broody?

[chixruleboysdrool]

I have two hens, two nesting boxes, and two wooden nesting eggs. There is one egg in each nesting box. One of my hens has started taking both eggs into her nesting box. She ran over to the egg when I picked it up and started pecking the wooden egg.

Is she starting to get broody?

 

[Marcymom3]

I thought one of mine was going broody too because she sat on the nest for a long time (seems like it was several hours). When she didn't go out into the yard with the others, I got worried so I watched her for a while. She circled several times, moved the golf ball and wooden egg around, and settled down, then did it all over again. In my case, it was wishful thinking on my part.

When she finally sang her egg song an hour or so later, I had already made plans to get some eggs from my friend who has roosters to stick under her. An acquaintance of mine who has hatched chicks in an incubator told me that if you think your chicken is broody and put eggs under her, you need to have a backup plan in case she changes her mind.

These are my first chickens and I got them in May. I don't have any roosters and I'm not sure I want any, but would love to have homegrown chicks.

Hmmm... maybe I should talk to Santa?

 

[chixruleboysdrool]

My hen isn't sitting on her eggs right now, she's in the yard experiencing her first snow. But all of the eggs are still in her nesting box.

 

[chixruleboysdrool]

Now she is back in her coop eating. It looks like she was very hungry and hadn't eaten in a while.