What is she doing?

[Hennyhandler]

I have a hen that everytime I go into the coop at night she is in the same nestbox. The first night that I pulled her out she actually growled at me and just this night she cackled and squaked but no growling. I don't believe she is in there during the day just at night. So is this maybe a case where she can't find a spot on the roost as the chickens won't move over so she gets in there or could she possible be feeling a little motherly

(broodiness)???

 

[happyhens44]

sounds broody!

 

[pgpoultry]

Definitely sounds broody.

Do you want chicks?

Sandie

 

[Nostalchic]

Broody hens will stay on the nest day and night, and will fluff up and get upset with you if you move them off, and will generally try to get right back in there. They may pluck feathers from their breasts to line the nesk with. They will leave the nest very briefly to quickly eat, drink, poop a BIG poop, and get right back on there. Some chickens, on the other hand, have found that a nest is a cozy place to sleep and doesn't involve competing for position with the rest of the flock, so start sleeping in there. You might want to discourage this because they WILL poop in the nest (broody hens generally don't) and that makes a mess. You can block the nest at night, and it helps if the nests are lower than the roosts.

 

[Hennyhandler]

I think I have a broody. I went in there just a minute ago and there she was sitting in there and when I tried to get her out she ruffled up those neck feathers and cackled. BUT she did leave and go outside. I would like to have some chicks but 1. I don't know if she is serious about this or if she is playing for a little while cause it wouldn't be good if she stopped and I had given her eggs as I don't have an incubator and have never tried to use one

plus the fact that I am not here during the day enough to do it. 2. I don't know if it is set up for her to do it. Don't they need to be seperated from the other hens that will bother her? I didn't really think that many Barred rocks went broody but hey whatever floats her boat.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

She's probably just getting used to it. But broodies will leave the nest once or twice a day to eat, drink, and poop. Don't lose hope. I'm guessing she's just adjusting. Give her a week or two to make sure she's really serious and if you want babies, take her away and put her in a dog crate with some eggs.

If you don't take her away and attempt to hatch chicks when she has exposure to her flockmates, she might get kicked off her nest or get sidetracked and take a new nest to brood over.

 

[pgpoultry]

Give her some fake eggs, golf balls etc. If she wits overnight she will almost certainly sit on a clutch of fertile eggs. She will also generally seem very pleased to discover she has so many eggs and will draw eggs placed in front of her underneath herself,

Good Luck,

Sandie