Orpington Behaviour please help

[tingle]

I have a large black orpington hen I bought last Autumn at auction so dont know her exact age but she looks to be a year old or so,She laid last year and stopped when the cold weather came in.I have noticed she has started to act strange,she sits on her own and when I let her out she makes for the compost heap and scratches about then makes herself comfy,when I approach she doesnt move unlike before when she would scuttle away,When I pick her up to put her back in the run she starfts to (it almost looks like she is walking on the spot with high steps then she sits down in a submissive pose) Is this normal and what does it mean,I havnt seen it before,

 

[mirsy09]

I think she is getting broody. My buff orpington went broody. I took her out of the coop and put her in a wire dog crate for a couple of days. that cured her

 

[Chick CJ]

Does she ruffle her feathers when you try to move her? It sounds like she is acting broody.
CJ

 

[tingle]

She ruffles her feathers a little but she seems to squat submissively,she hasnht laid any eggs since end of last season,Am I wrong to think she has to lay a clutch of eggs before she goes broody?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Yes. This is what they're supposed to do, what they used to do in the wild, before hatcheries started messing with their genes. Now they are very unpredictable.

All about broodies, a great article:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[kateseidel]

My buff orpingtons don't need to lay a clutch before they go broody at all. They do, however, like to gather any eggs they see another hen leave, but they are happy to sit on an empty nest or their own daily egg too. Doesn't bother me when they are broody - they are the sweetest hens ever. I just make sure they get enough to eat, and move them off the nest occasionally, and let them work it out. usually takes about 3 weeks.