My Buff Orp is growling at me

[harleyjo]

I went to collect eggs early this afternoon when we got home and I had a Buff Orp around 25 to 30 weeks old who is laying growl at me as she was sitting in a nest box. So I collected eggs in the other 2 boxes next to her and came back to the house. I just went back there and she is still in the same box and growled again as soon as I started to walk near the box. What is going on?


ETA: She has been in the nest box for at least 2 hours and was in it before I came home too.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You might have a broody!

Congratulations! You can do a search on here for broody hen and get some info. I've never had one.

She wants to set on her eggs.

 

[Cackling Hen]

Sounds like she is broody

 

[tuesdays chicks]

Broody. Do you have a roo? If not you either have to break the brood or get her eggs to sit

 

[harleyjo]

Isn't she a bit young to sit on eggs? Also I have a concern about hatching out chicks in Iowa in Nov. I would think it would be a bit cold for a chick. What happens if I see her off the nest box if this is what is going on, to just take the eggs?

 

[harleyjo]

Yes I have a rooster of some kind.

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[speckledhen]

She is not too young if she's laying. They can go broody anytime after they begin laying. My first ever broody was a 26 week old Buff Orp who had been laying only a month.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

Mine are young too ,to be honest I thought instinct would tell them to wait till spring But not it seems contagious, I have 2 sitting and a 3rd on the way to broody I'm wondering how long after chicks hatch do they start laying again?

 

[prancie]

some of mine growl at me even when not broody. if she stays on the nest overnight for 2 or 3 nights then you have a broody. i had a 20-week old go broody and she turned out to be a great momma.

 

[gryeyes]

Both of my gals that went broody were young layers, too: Buff Orpington and Welsummer. The BO did it in the hottest time of the summer and the Welsummer has two-week old chicks she's shepherding around now.

But I would wait to see if she stays in the nest overnight for two nights first, before considering her broody.

I also am of the opinion one should let nature take its course and let her be a mommy. But I'm a softie that way.