Is this "broody"?

[pacanis]

Sorry, did a search and all I came up with was hens laying on fertilized eggs....

I've got a hen who was in the nestbox last night, late...... and now is up there again and it is past dark. She doesn't want to move when I gently urger her, but I'm pretty sure there are a bunch of eggs under her, as I found most of them in that nestbox this morning and removed them. Is this what is called broody?

I'm not sure what would happen if I just threw her off of her nest, but I'd like to keep gathering my eggs instead of letting them sit all night. I can't figure out why all of a sudden she wants up on top of all the eggs this late. Maybe it's nothing, maybe she just turned into a late in the evening layer, but I'd like to understand the term broody and how you know a hen is broody compared to eggbound.

Thanks!

 

[RoostersCrow]

Broody hens are very reluctant to get off eggs. Some are more broody than others. They may peck at you if you try to reach in, etc. My worst broody.... I pick her up, take her out of the box, set her on the floor and she refuses to even stand. I usually have to push her out the coop door to get her to walk!

 

[NoSpringChick]

Congratulations you've got yourself a broody hen.....I tried kicking mine off the nest for 3 weeks before I broke down and got her some fertilized eggs....She has been sitting on them for 7 days now....I never see her eating or pooping or drinking, but the evidence is there...she is a good momma. I can't wait for the four barred rocks to hatch!

She is much better at this stuff than me...I keep sneaking into my incubator to check out my eggs...I wouldn't be surprised if her hatched and mine didn't.

 

[cluckychick]

Most broodys will become b$tchy when you try to move them or reach for them. She'll rumble her breast feathers up to look imposing and peck at you. If she's broody you'll know. If you repeatedly throw her of the nest it will sometimes break the broodiness.

 

[rooster-red]

Here is a vid of my broodys.

 

[pacanis]

A screeching beach ball?

She's still up there, I can't say she screetches when I touch her, though. Her tail is doing a bobbing up and down thing. I forgot to mention that before. She is facing directly away in her nestbox and bobbing up and down. She is definitely puffed out. This is just a little weird.... I hate first time experiences when it comes to these girls.

 

[dacjohns]

Sounds broody to me. If you want the eggs just keep moving her and collecting the eggs. You might have to wear gloves.

I have a bunch of bantams that think they're broody. They screech when they see me coming.

I just had a hatch and have another hen sitting on eggs. Should hatch in a few days.

 

[DDRanch]

One of my 10 month old buff orphington's "went broody" a few weeks ago. Unlike some of the broody hens I read about on this site, my broody is very sweet. She ruffles but is easy to handle. Actually she is quite loving. I do take the eggs away from her and take her off the nest several times a day as they sometimes will forgo water and food. I have noticed she is a bit lighter in weight.

I understand they get over it after a while but I don't know the time frame. I think it a good idea to take her off the nest and ensure she is eating and drinking. And taking the eggs, I think will discourage the broodiness.

I understand some breeds are broodier than others. Good luck and not to worry. You will get a lot of great information from the folks on this site.
Anne

 

[pacanis]

Thanks for the support

She's still up there this morning and I'm going to lift her off now. She's probably been up there all night

 

[pacanis]

She went plop and hit the floor. Then she started nesting where she lie. I rattled the feeder and the other hens came back inside to eat (the feed always gets hung up and doesn't gravity feed) and when she saw them eating, she got up and came over to eat, too.
Thanks again for your experience.