Partially broody?

[EvansMeXo]

is it possible for Chickens to go broody only at night? My red sexlink has been sleeping in the nesting box all poofed up for a few nights now. She’s been sleeping on the roost ever since I moved her into the coop so I don’t know why she’s sleeping in there now. She’s only been laying for a few weeks, but I’ll move her to the roost where she normally is she’ll wait until I leave and then go back in the box.. I would think she’s broody except she’s free ranging with the rest of the flock during the day and only goes in the box to lay her eggs in the morning. It’s getting pretty cold most nights and I’m worried about her being in the nesting box alone

 

[bobbi-j]

is it possible for Chickens to go broody only at night? My red sexlink has been sleeping in the nesting box all poofed up for a few nights now. She’s been sleeping on the roost ever since I moved her into the coop so I don’t know why she’s sleeping in there now. She’s only been laying for a few weeks, but I’ll move her to the roost where she normally is she’ll wait until I leave and then go back in the box.. I would think she’s broody except she’s free ranging with the rest of the flock during the day and only goes in the box to lay her eggs in the morning. It’s getting pretty cold most nights and I’m worried about her being in the nesting box alone

I wonder if your roost may not be long enough? Maybe she's feeling crowded. I can't think of any other reason, but I can tell you that when a hen is broody, there is nothing "partial" about it. A truly broody hen will plant herself on her chosen nest, only getting up to eat, drink, poop and maybe take a quick dust bath.
You may want to block off the nest box before they go to roost at night, and if you can, watch their roosting behavior. Make sure there is enough space (recommended is 1' of roost length per bird), and that she's not being bullied off the roost.

 

[chickengr]

when my red sex link didn't feel well she slept in the nesting box. she probably was cold. as soon as she got well she returned to the roost.

 

[EvansMeXo]

I wonder if your roost may not be long enough? Maybe she's feeling crowded. I can't think of any other reason, but I can tell you that when a hen is broody, there is nothing "partial" about it. A truly broody hen will plant herself on her chosen nest, only getting up to eat, drink, poop and maybe take a quick dust bath.
You may want to block off the nest box before they go to roost at night, and if you can, watch their roosting behavior. Make sure there is enough space (recommended is 1' of roost length per bird), and that she's not being bullied off the roost.

I’ll try blocking off the nesting box tomorrow night thanks! There’s definitely enough roosting space, my coop is big enough for 12 Chickens to comfortably live and I currently have 7. There’s 4 roosting bars in there (two long and two short) and if they all piled up on one they would fit shoulder to shoulder but I’ve noticed they usually sleep in two groups of 2 and one group of 3. However lately it’s three groups of 2 and her in the box. During the day I watch that no one is picking on her to drive her off but she’s happily hanging out with the rest and No one Is being bullied.. I figured it was either fully broody or not at all but I can’t think of any other reason for her not wanting to come out of the nesting box

 

[dunnmom]

Well, when one of my hens went broody this year, she did display some odd behaviors leading up to it. Sleeping in the nestbox or on the coop floor when I blocked off the boxes was one of those behaviors. I wouldn't think such a young layer would be going broody already or even at this time of year, but I've only had chickens since March 2015, so I'm no expert.

 

[aart]

my coop is big enough for 12 Chickens

What does this mean in feet by feet?
How long is roost in feet?

Is she the only bird laying?

When you move her to the roost, do it well after dark.
Sh'e more likely to stay put.

I had 2 pullets go broody this year after laying for only a couple weeks....SMH.

 

[EvansMeXo]

What does this mean in feet by feet?
How long is roost in feet?

Is she the only bird laying?

When you move her to the roost, do it well after dark.
Sh'e more likely to stay put.

I had 2 pullets go broody this year after laying for only a couple weeks....SMH.

The coop is 8 feet long so there is two 8 foot long roosts and then two going across them. So with 7 birds they’d have well over two feet of roost space just between the two long ones.

She’s not the only one laying. I had a white leghorn start laying almost two weeks before her. And my splash maran started laying the day before she acted like this.. I forgot to block off the roost tonight it’s been pouring out all day so she was back in there at bedtime. It’s two hours after dark and I just moved her back from the box to the roost and before I even shut the door she ran back into it!
Ugh she’s really frustrating me lol. She’s still not acting broody during the day however she’s not showing any signs of being sick, I checked the bottom of her feet and she has no cuts and she flew ontop of the run today so I know her wings aren’t Sore.

 

[aart]

It’s two hours after dark and I just moved her back from the box to the roost and before I even shut the door she ran back into it!
Ugh she’s really frustrating me lol.

She must be able to see in the dark....or you need to dim your flashlight.
Another post I just made about nest covers.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ting-in-the-coop.1208806/page-3#post-19269971

 

[EvansMeXo]

She must be able to see in the dark....or you need to dim your flashlight.
Another post I just made about nest covers.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ting-in-the-coop.1208806/page-3#post-19269971

Ahhhh I didn’t realize my flashlight would ruin it. It’s well away from the house so it’s pitch black over there but I’ll try dimming my phone light to see if that works. And when it stops raining I’ll install a flip thing like on the other post. Looks simple to put in and I have hinges somewhere in the garage

 

[EvansMeXo]

That’s one thing in the reply on the other post that’s bugging me. Before the nesting boxes were always sooo clean they never pooped in there no specks of poop on my eggs. The last few days I’m having to wash the poop off and clean the boxes everyday to try and keep the poop out of there