Wondering if shes broody...

[Jen4]

I've been watching one of our BO chickens since about 8:00, shes been sitting in one of the nest boxes and when another chicken gets by her shes makes very mean noises at it. So I've been in and out of the coop... I was just in there to collect eggs... there was 3 eggs in different nest boxes, the same chicken in her nest box I went to see if she had an egg under her... well she has 2 eggs under her, so I went ahead and added another egg and she sat back down and got comfy.... I'm wondering if shes broody... going to leave her alone for a couple of hours and if shes not on the nest when I go back out to the coop then I'll take the eggs... if shes still on the nest then I'll let her be........ If she is broody

is there anything I should be doing for her?

* She will be 22 weeks this Wednesday
* The eggs should be fertile because we have 2 roosters in with the girls, and out of the eggs they've given us so far (41 since 8-4-09) ALOT of them have the bulls eye

 

[sandy sea]

Just leave the eggs under her. You should know by tonight if she is going broody. If she sits on the nest instead of roosting that is the best clue.

 

[TXmom]

My Buff Orps act like that a lot...they fluff up and growl when I or anybody else goes near the nest boxes. They even sit for a couple hours sometimes. But then later I see them running around and acting like a regular ol' chicken again...so

Maybe mine are just practicing, and will want to be mommies someday soon...

Now my Silkie is another story... She is sitting and she didn't move for 2 days...day or night...and screeched when I picked her up and moved her. So I set eggs under her and so far so good

I hope to have 6 little chickies hatch out around the 30th.

 

[Lollipop]

Easiest way to spot a broody is if she stays on the nest at night. If that happens for two nights, move her to a private cage or pen so the other hens won`t add eggs to her clutch. After she has settled into her new surroundings for a night, take out any eggs she has and put all fresh fertile eggs under her at night to reduce stress and make sure all the eggs have the same hatch date. Have food and water available, but not in her face. She will need to leave the nest daily to eat, drink, and eliminate, so a stretch will be in order. She will do all this as needed and doesn`t need to be reminded. Good luck with your hatch. I love broody hens......Pop

 

[Jen4]

Well she was just tricking me... cause shes out and about now... maybe one day