Is this what broody looks like?

[Dwen]

One of my RIR has been acting a little weird lately. I thought she might be sick, because all the other girls were picking on her, and chasing her around thet pen, but the only thing I could find wrong with her is a bunch of missing feathers from her breast area, and a sleepy disposition .
I am now wondering if she is going broody, because I always find her on a collection of eggs in one of the boxes, (infertile, we don't have a rooster) but when I collect, she doesn't get too upset with me for taking them away. I don't know how commited she is to setting, because I have been taking her out in the mornings so the others can't pick on her. Once out, she perks right up, and does the usualy chickeny things in our yard. The next morning though, there she is again, hogging a nest with that dole, sleepy look in her eyes. Is she broody or sick?

 

[loversday002]

when a chicken pulls out the freathers under her thats a 99.9% sign of her being broody if shes pulling them off her back she may be sick... does she ever seem to be puffing her feathers up or making maybe loud (may sound angry) clucks when you pick her up?

 

[Dwen]

Yes. her feathers, especially around her neck, are all fluffed up, like they do when its cold. When I pick her up, she just clucks softly, and looks around bewildered.
I also forgot to metion that she weighs a lot less than the other girls.

 

[loversday002]

shes broody! congrats if you dont want her to sit on eggs... you could always put 3 newly hatched chicks (or more but three is a good number if she is a first time mother) to speed up the broody process and if you would like you could bring her a small dish with food in it or water to her after awhile if her weight loss makes you nervous... are you going to let her sit?

 

[theoldchick]

These are broody hens:





Seriously ticked off Broody




The 'you can't see me' broody



Classic defense pose of a broody-all fuzzed up



Crazy-eyed broody






This hen is simply getting ready to lay an egg. She's busy moving hay around her.



This hen is sick-note her pale comb and wattles




Sleepy hen on a roost



You don't usually see a broody hen setting on eggs with eyes closed. If your hen is sitting on eggs with eyes closed you might want to take a closer look at her.

 

[Dwen]

Exciting! the eggs she's on aren't furtile, so I'm going to look on craigslist to see if I can find some for her. Will she be alright setting in the same coup as the regular laying hens?



@theoldchick -thanks for the pictures. She looks a lot like the broodies in your picture, only she isn't aggresive.

 

[loversday002]

cool and yeah but make sure you use chicken wire or something to block off an area because the other chickens may try to kill the babies dont forget to do the swap at night with all the lights off and take her eggs away

 

[haleywolter1999]

Good luck Hopefully you get some chicks

 

[Dwen]

I found some barred rock hatching eggs, but I won't get them until sunday. I hope she doesn't mind setting an extra week. This week she's been 100% committed, so I'm hoping for chicks.