why chicken why?

[eleaserek]

Ok, so I have an 8 month old white rock pullet who has recently been behaving oddly. She hops in and out of the nesting box A LOT. And I mean a ridiculously unnecessary amount of times.

I know this because I have a motion sensitive camera pointed at the nesting boxes that records her every 5 to 15 minutes jumping in, rooting around for a minute. Then jumping back out. ALL. DAY. None of the other 4 chickens do this. They go in once a day. Sit for a half hour or so, lay their egg and move in with their little chicken lives.

The other thing she has started doing is trying to sleep in the nesting box. I say trying because I go out and put her back on the roost almost every night. Where she then stays.

It just seems so odd to me. All of this has just started in the last week. Is she trying to be broody? I know it's uncommon for a pullet to go broody, but not unheard of. I'm starting to think I need to block off the nesting boxes after everyone has laid for the day. But I honestly don't want this extra daily chore if possible. Has anyone heard of such behavior and have any advice for what I could do to curb it? Thanks!

 

[Pork Pie]

Yep, i'd say she is starting to go broody. There are a number of ways to break broodiness, but putting the broody in a small coop, suspended above the ground (with food and water) for a few days possibly the most popular. Putting the coop off the ground helps to circulate cooler air under the hen and seems to help break the desire to sit.

CT

 

[eleaserek]

Well shoot

So right now she's still laying eggs, and doesn't spend more than a minute or so at a time in the nesting box (she's just is in and out a THOUSAND times a day.) Because she's young, is it possible this is as close to broody as she'll get, for now anyway? This behavior has been going on for about a week.

 

[Pork Pie]

Possibly just a phase. Once all your hens have laid, you may wish to consider blocking access to the nesting boxes.
CT

 

[shortgrass]

I didn't think it likely forvthem to go broody that young, but I have a 5 month old Cochin 4 days away from her first hatch right now

Definitely possible, and from the sounds of it, quite imminent.

I agree to blocking her off so she can't get back in. If you're going to try to break her, it may be best to separate her to her own crate as well.