My BO "puffs" up????

[14 chickens & counting]

Hopefully someone can explain to me why all-of-a-sudden my BO hen has started "puffing" up? I saw her do it once in the yard, then in the nest, then tonight in the barn when we went to help her get up to the roost, then on the roost! She seems very MOODY! Is it that time of the month or is this a new behavior coming from my alomst a year old "pullet"?

 

[M To The Maxx]

She is going broody.

 

[14 chickens & counting]

Quote:
GREAT!!!! I guess. She looks so funny. I told my daughter we now had a TURKEY on our hands! Thanks for the info.

 

[wood&feathers]

Yup, sounds like my broody girl. The tail fanning thing is so weird - I never realized chickens could fan it like a turkey! It's the HEN for crying out loud.

Look in on her while she's on the nest - if she puffs up and growls and acts like she wants to eat your arm, she's broody.

 

[DenverBird]

This sounds like my BO - the fluffing feathers - except she hasn't been very aggressive toward me when I've picked her up out of the nesting box where she's been spending a lot of time lately (I consdered putting some crosswords in there for her...). I just pulled her out and put her in the yard & the others attacked her so I wonder if she's just being bullied and hangs in the box to get away from them. The BO has always been near the bottom of the pecking order but I've never seen the Australorp be aggresive toward any others and the Aussie usually gets pushed out of the way when its treat time.

Is it common for flockmates to attack a broody hen?

Thanks!

-DB

 

[Pinky]

Sounds like you have a moody broody, 14 chickens & counting.

DenverBird
If the other hens have your broody sitting on their eggs too or if they know she's sitting on a nest, they may try to make her get back on the nest.

 

[DenverBird]

She's not sitting on any's eggs, not even her own but just a couple of fake eggs in the laying box. How long does it take for a golf ball and a nice, round stone to hatch?

But seriously, they may think she's trying to hatch a clutch and I guess this could be why they harass her when she's out of the nesting box.

Thanks again,

-DB

 

[DenverBird]

I can't find the thread on breaking a broody hen - can someone post the link?

I'll consider it after I see if she's spending nights in the box.

Thanks!

-DB

 

[snowflake]

sounds broody to me. My BO never gets aggressive can pick her up even after eggs hatch, although she will scold me a little. If you don't want her hatching any you may try breaking her. got any snow set her in it. that may cool her buns

 

[DenverBird]

well whatever her deal was, I pulled the egg and fakes out from under her an hour ago and now she's out in the dustbath pile with her fellow hennys. ...Then again, maybe she just heard me chopping up the crusty snowbank on the shaded part of the yard.

Thanks!

-DB