Lays for 5 hrs then leaves??

[YahKheena]

My one year old australorp lays for about 5 hours on the nest with or without eggs then in the afternoon she leaves and doesn't return till sunset with all the other hens. She has done this for about 3 weeks... Is she preparing to go broody??

 

[YahKheena]

She is also very snappy when on the nest, she actually growls... But mid afternoon she leaves the nest and doesn't return till the next day to lay and it starts all over again

 

[YahKheena]

It has been 3 hours and now she is back on the nest... We took the eggs out when she didn't return to the nest today and replaced them with plastic ones... If we allow her to lay on eggs from our other hens will they remain viable if she leaves them for three hours? Yes we have a rooster and it has been in the low 70's.

 

[YahKheena]

She has completely abandoned the idea of sitting on the nest, no more growling at us or pecking at us while she is laying an egg... We are sad, we were hoping to have some chick

 

[YahKheena]

Yay, she's Broodie!! She has been laying on 7 hopefully fertile eggs for 3 days with only 1/2 hour a day for her bath and feeding. We offer her water through out the day which she takes but won't take the food we offer. We are so excited over here \0/ yay!!

 

[mylilredhen]

My broody Serama also was on and off the nest. On for 2 weeks, off for 3 days. She is back on as of yesterday. She is sitting on golf balls which I plan to swap for day old chicks. I hope this works!