Pullet acting broody?

[Possum chicken farm]

First the good news! Our 6 pullets are 17-20 weeks and we got our first egg yesterday! It was laid in the nest box too! We had put a golf ball in both nest boxes a couple weeks ago and yesterday our 20 week old was squawking up a storm. We found the egg a bit later. Today I watched our 19 week old brahma climb into the nest box and roll the golf ball toward her body with her beak. She was quite vocal. She then proceeded to set on that golf ball! Now, everything I've read about brahmas says they don't lay until 24-28 weeks so I doubt that yesterday's egg was hers. Has anyone ever heard of that behavior in non-laying pullets? She did come out of the nest box and is otherwise behaving normally. Should I remove the golf balls now though only one egg has been laid and there are still 5 younger ones? Also, the brahma was the first one in the flock to exhibit the squatting behavior they do when they're close to laying age. My 20 week old swedish flower/barred rock mutt and my 19 week RIR just started doing it the other day. I also have a 19 week wyandotte and two 17 week swedish flower/EE pullets.

 

[slordaz]

First the good news! Our 6 pullets are 17-20 weeks and we got our first egg yesterday! It was laid in the nest box too! We had put a golf ball in both nest boxes a couple weeks ago and yesterday our 20 week old was squawking up a storm. We found the egg a bit later. Today I watched our 19 week old brahma climb into the nest box and roll the golf ball toward her body with her beak. She was quite vocal. She then proceeded to set on that golf ball! Now, everything I've read about brahmas says they don't lay until 24-28 weeks so I doubt that yesterday's egg was hers. Has anyone ever heard of that behavior in non-laying pullets? She did come out of the nest box and is otherwise behaving normally. Should I remove the golf balls now though only one egg has been laid and there are still 5 younger ones? Also, the brahma was the first one in the flock to exhibit the squatting behavior they do when they're close to laying age. My 20 week old swedish flower/barred rock mutt and my 19 week RIR just started doing it the other day. I also have a 19 week wyandotte and two 17 week swedish flower/EE pullets.

I brought home some new baby chicks and had a pullet squawking when it heard the new babies, so showed them to her, and she pulled one of the chicks out and herded it to her favorite spot and came back to get the others, she was only 8 weeks old at the time and raised the new baby chicks so yes it's possible for them want to brood before they start laying. and you know your gonna have a good broody too, once she started laying she raised 4 more broods before a predator found her on a hidden nest.

Some its just their nature, but we were just sitting there staring at her in disbelief, she was baby feathers raised and protective of them, would try her most ferocious sheep if anyone got near them too

 

[Possum chicken farm]

I brought home some new baby chicks and had a pullet squawking when it heard the new babies, so showed them to her, and she pulled one of the chicks out and herded it to her favorite spot and came back to get the others, she was only 8 weeks old at the time and raised the new baby chicks so yes it's possible for them want to brood before they start laying. and you know your gonna have a good broody too, once she started laying she raised 4 more broods before a predator found her on a hidden nest.

Some its just their nature, but we were just sitting there staring at her in disbelief, she was baby feathers raised and protective of them, would try her most ferocious sheep if anyone got near them too

Sounds like a very reliable, good, 11 year old baby sitter. They exist too.

 

[slordaz]

Sounds like a very reliable, good, 11 year old baby sitter. They exist too.

Sure helps no matter what age to have em around, good broodies are hard to find but sure are worth keeping

 

[Possum chicken farm]

Update from my original post. Turns out the one who laid WAS the 19 week Brahma! She laid another one right in front of me. So there you go, don't assume! LOL So now we have two tiny eggs from one early blooming Brahma and 5 freeloaders!

 

[slordaz]

Update from my original post. Turns out the one who laid WAS the 19 week Brahma! She laid another one right in front of me. So there you go, don't assume! LOL So now we have two tiny eggs from one early blooming Brahma and 5 freeloaders!

sounds like the brahma is an over achiever lol, congrats