Got my first egg Tuesday. I didn't know which one of my little 20 week old flock produced it until yesterday when I couldn't find my Light Brahma, BubbaLou. She was in the coup (in her self made nest area, not the boxes I worked so hard on) and sat and sat and sat. After 3 hours I got worried and checked on her. She ate a few pellets I put down beside her and grumbled at me ,but still continued to just sit there. She is so new to this egg laying business(me too) I thought maybe she was having trouble and I didn't want to frighten her by picking her up. Then it dawned on me. Could she be broody already? I was surprised enough that it was my Brahma laying the first egg, thought they were late layers, but this behavior really threw me. FINALLY after 4 1/2 hours she comes out of the coop and begins to mingle with the others again. The EE's, Orpington, and Wyandots. I grabbed the egg,which turned out to be a large double yolker and she didn't go back in the coop. Here's a pic of my first egg. It was beautiful and delicious! How common is her behavior?
Hmm...I've heard of this before. It happens, and brahama's do tend to go broody. Her understanding is 'oh, I laid an egg! Time to hatch them, now!'. If she stays overnight, she may be broody. She may get off though, and just be practicing for the real time.
