Is she brooding

[katjames11]

I have a hen (not sure of bred) she is black, thats all I know but today she got out of the backyard & i found her sitting in the bale of hay,she was obviously about to lay an egg but what I found very different she was meticulously grabbing pieces of hay & placing it over her back, she did this quite a few times,can anyone tell what this is and is it normal

of a brooding hen?That's her in the middle..

 

[Sjisty]

I have watched my hens do this many times with pieces of hay or straw.

If she was broody, she wouldn't be laying eggs. She would hunker down on the nest and "growl" at you if you come close.

 

[azygous]

Yes, that's normal egg-laying ritual behavior. My hens all sit in the nest and gleefully arrange the wood shavings, sometimes creating quite a mess, tossing them all over themselves and the immediate area. If I allow the rooster free access, he will b right in there with them, fluffing up the nest material.

 

[katjames11]

Okay, thank you, this is the first time I have seen her do this, plus she has taken to getting out of the backyard & going into the carport (where I currently keep a bale of hay) & that is where she lays her eggs, normally she lays in the coup in the box..

 

[katjames11]

Thank you for that, I watch my hens all the time and this is the first for her to do this..well maybe not but first I have observed...