Testing a broody hen?

[COCOmaran]

So, I have an ISA brown has gone broody, which I didn't expect. Now, if she is serious, I would like to put some eggs. But, how do you know that she is seriously broody?? Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

Look for following:
Defense of nest when you are present
Staying on nest most of day
Staying on nest through night
Broody patch exposed to eggs / nest
Staying on nest for three or more nights in a row
Production of a single big poop each day

The farther down the list, the more likely she is broody.

 

[sdm111]

If she sets for at least a week I'd say shes good. Now that's not to say she won't get scared off of it but her intent would be good after a week or so

 

[aart]

These are my go-to signs:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

Then....
When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I agree with the others. I just wanted to add, if she was broody and you were serious about wanting to hatch eggs, some folks would recommend having an incubator on hand just in case.