Strange behavior

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

Certainly someone here has seen this behavior before, so I hope to learn what this is about. One of my laying hens started picking up sticks and leaves and throwing them over back as if trying to cover herself up. She tosses them on one side then the other side. This is the first time I’ve seen this. I thought it was odd. Does anyone know what this is about? Thanks for your expertise and responses.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

I believe she is trying to make a nest. I have ducks that have done this and chickens as well. She is just putting them on her back so she can carry more I believe.

 

[Iluveggers]

Agree w @AngelinaThePekin8 One of mine does that when she is sitting trying to get comfortable before laying her egg.

 

[BlueBaby]

She's trying to comoflage herself.

 

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

I believe she is trying to make a nest. I have ducks that have done this and chickens as well. She is just putting them on her back so she can carry more I believe.

Ok, Thanks. She does have a nesting box where she lays, but we did some construction around their coop that day and thought it was a stress behavior.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

Ok, Thanks. She does have a nesting box where she lays, but we did some construction around their coop that day and thought it was a stress behavior.

Maybe it is a mixture of both?
One of the main culprits of this behavior is one of my older hens that I like to call Turkey butt, because whenever she is broody she always puffs herself up and acts all big like a broody hen would. And when she does this it makes her look like a turkey. She has never hatched anything though, but one of my cayuga ducks was able to hatch two ducklings which are three years old now, at least one of them, the other one died last year. Here is a picture of the them in case you want to see.

The duck on the right is the mom, her name is Totoro and the one in the middle is Maria, she is the one that died. And the drake on the left is Haru. And the name of their dad is Chiharu.

 

[aart]

She's trying to comoflage herself.

This^^^.
It's a instinctual behavior, not always needed nor executed properly.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have two that do this.
One does it when she goes into the nest box to lay. It looks like she is decorating the nest box.
The other does it after she has laid an egg when she comes out.
I guess camouflage would be an explanation for both cases. It isn’t very effective!

 

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

Maybe it is a mixture of both?
One of the main culprits of this behavior is one of my older hens that I like to call Turkey butt, because whenever she is broody she always puffs herself up and acts all big like a broody hen would. And when she does this it makes her look like a turkey. She has never hatched anything though, but one of my cayuga ducks was able to hatch two ducklings which are three years old now, at least one of them, the other one died last year. Here is a picture of the them in case you want to see.
View attachment 3019979
The duck on the right is the mom, her name is Totoro and the one in the middle is Maria, she is the one that died. And the drake on the left is Haru. And the name of their dad is Chihar

Maybe it is a mixture of both?
One of the main culprits of this behavior is one of my older hens that I like to call Turkey butt, because whenever she is broody she always puffs herself up and acts all big like a broody hen would. And when she does this it makes her look like a turkey. She has never hatched anything though, but one of my cayuga ducks was able to hatch two ducklings which are three years old now, at least one of them, the other one died last year. Here is a picture of the them in case you want to see.
View attachment 3019979
The duck on the right is the mom, her name is Totoro and the one in the middle is Maria, she is the one that died. And the drake on the left is Haru. And the name of their dad is Chiharu.

Awe…. They are beautiful! . Thank you for sharing