Is She Broody???????

[marytoast]

Today when I got home my little EE hen was in the nest box. She is the lowest hen in the pecking order so I thought she might be hurt or something. Well, I put my hand in there and she screeched at me. I did find an egg and took it. I checked her out and found nothing wrong. A while later she was out of the nest box. Then I looked and there she is back in the box!! I know that spending the night in the box is one sign of broodieness. Are there other signs? This little girl is only 6 months old. Should I put some eggs under her?


BTW I've never had a broody before.

 

[huntinwidow]

She sounds broody to me. You can put eggs under her to hatch or try to break her. Depends on whether you want babies or not.

 

[marytoast]

How do you break her???

 

[Eggs4Sale]

I have a broody hen that's doing the same thing. I don't want to put eggs under her though because it's stinkin' hot here, 115 to 120 degrees. Does anyone know if she'll be able to hatch eggs in that heat, or is it too hot? It's only going to get hotter, so they would hatch in 120 to 125 degree weather during monsoon season. How do chicks fare in heat like that? If she can't hatch eggs, how can i get her to stop sitting in the nest box all day? I remove her several times a day and she turns around and goes right back!

 

[marytoast]

HEy, I found this. I think it will help us both.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=181289

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Thanks! I'm going to try that tonight! Cross your fingers for both of us!

 

[marytoast]

I think I am going to let my girl hatch some eggs. I really do not need more chickens but who doesn't love ittty bitty biddies!

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Oh, I wish I could. She's got some roosters in with her, but they are only 4 months old and don't seem to have been doing the rooster deal. She had other roosters attacking her a month or less ago, but I guess that's not good enough. I'd think she'd be sitting on those infertile eggs till she died. I read an earlier thread about a lady hatching store-bought eggs in her bator. I've wondered if I should try that, but I'm not really interested in having whatever they came from in my flock. I'll wait till the other interesting hens have started laying, and hopefully this one will go broody when I need her!