oh no... is this a broody hen

raymondjames

Chirping
8 Years
Sep 18, 2011
388
1
99
hi byc! i'm worried because my hen might be broody and 1) i am not going to raise / do extra work for chicks. did that before, its such a pain... but i love chickens (even though the young'uns are cute, i think it is funner with the full-growns/maturing chickens) So today my hen was... susceptible. She was in the nest box, head kind of in her body, quite poofy. When i put my hand near her or under her stomach she does not peck or growl or go SQUAAAK. I test her. I put an egg I got from another hen in front of her. She rolls it under her tummy and then just sits. Did it with a golf ball and another egg, she took them. Before she did this but she stopped brooding that night. Tonight she was in a diferent box (removed her) and she looked broody. Aw, darn. But is she? She is seldom aggressive, and she doesn't squak at me. Thanks guys. I am worried because she is our most consistent, powerful egg maker. Best in town.
 
This is only my 2nd year with chickens, but as of today, I have 2 broody hens. Both of my hens are friendly girls who hand feed. Since becoming broody, they both growl at me when I reach in to check the eggs. They only come out, as best I can tell, once a day to poop, eat, drink and dust bathe then go right back on those eggs. Also, if you let the hens hatch and raise their own chicks, there's really nothing extra you'll have to do.
 
I went to put my hens to bed & found Goldie sitting on the nest. I missed her earlier today and peeked into the coop to see her standing by the nest looking at the eggs.

There's not a fertile egg in the pile, but she has decided she is ready to be a mama apparently. I feel sort of sorry for her.

I guess it is that time of year!
 
thanks guys! butshe almost went broody before and she might be a frequent brooder. i also think she likes me enough to take the eggs :p.
I bet this isn't the only time thank you and have a nice byc day!
 
I call my broody hens turkeys, because their tails spread out and they poof out like a turkey. If they don't growl, they are not broody. Seems like she is having a hard time laying. All my hens like to lay their eggs on another egg. IF she sleeps on the nest for two nights in a row, she is broody.
 

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