Is she broody?

[mrskenmore]

Hi All,

I recently noticed my 11 month old EE hen (Arianna Huffington) has been sitting in the nesting box a little longer than usual. She is still eating and drinking and being social- but makes one or two or three trips to the nesting box and lingers more than the other girls. She also sits in there after she has laid. I remove the eggs from under her whenever I am around to see this behavior and she is very nice- but kind of just looks at me like- where are you going with my egg? Is this the beginning of a broody hen? or is she just a little more relaxed than the other two that like to get in and get out...

Thanks for your help!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

She isn't broody until she won't leave the nest box except to eat/drink maybe once per day. If she is spending a lot of time walking around she isn't broody.

 

[jebjow]

My Salmon Flaverolle just went completely broody today but the week leading up to today she was acting like what you described... Making frequent trips to the nesting box, sitting there for extended periods of time, etc. Today she hasn't moved from the box and gets upset if I enter the coop. This is my first time with a broody hen so I'm assuming she's broody but not 100% sure.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

When I am not sure if my hen is broody or not I listen for the broody cluck. It is a calm and gentle sounding cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck..... which they often make when going out of the nesting box. The hen makes this noise to "talk" her eggs, so they know that she is nearby.

 

[mrskenmore]

I am not sure about the clucks- but I will be listening!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Or, look for the poop. Its unmistakable.