Could this be broody behavior?

[Sammster]

I've never experienced a broody hen, so am unsure if this is what I'm dealing with. Tillie is a spring chicken, so a relatively new layer. I've been noticing a lot of downy feathers in the nesting box after she lays her egg, over the last few weeks. I'm thinking she pulled them. Then, today - hours after the girls typically lay, I went in to collect eggs and clean the coop. Tillie (my olive egger) was in one of the 3 nesting boxes.

Box #1 was empty. Box #2 had her egg in it, along with a decoy egg. But, the box she was sitting in - box #3 - had 5 eggs. None of which were hers. I knew she had already laid, since her egg was in box #2. So, I decided to reach under her to collect the eggs from the box she was sitting in. She made a screachy sound, and clearly objected, but allowed me to remove the eggs.

Fast forward to 8:00, and my phone alarm goes off. It is my reminder to check the cameras to make sure everyone is safely roosted. I count chicken faces. One is missing, so I head out. Tillie is still in the nesting box. I reach in to check on her to make sure she's OK (not hurt) and I get the screachy sound, and she puffs up to look bigger. I decided to let her be and come here for advice.

Is this broody behavior? How shall I proceed, tomorrow, if she doesn't leave the box?

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

Yep, she sounds broody. They will steal eggs to sit on, so she might be collecting a clutch. If you don't mind her being broody, then you can give her decoy eggs and see if the broodiness runs its course. If you want to try to break her of it, keep her out of the nest boxes and away from eggs. Could try putting her in "broody jail" for a while.

 

[Sammster]

Ok, thank you. I'll look into those techniques here, via search.

 

[bill3607]

I have used the jail option with success. However, I have also just reached in and took her out of the nest and put her down in front of food, then, take the eggs. They will fuss, and then eat some, and fuss some more. The next day I do the same thing. It is usually around day 3 or 4 and they always snap out of it. It is a lot less work and time than jail and seems to work just as well if not better. But, that is just my experience.

 

[aart]

I don't screw around, if I have a broody and don't want them to hatch, which has been 80-90% of the times....
.....into the broody breaker they go!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

She sure sounds broody. Remove the eggs and wait a day ive seen them leave if they have no eggs. I have 2 broodies and will be using the broody jail. First off because rhey are way to young to hatch in my opinion. And they can be removed off the nest multiple times a day and just go right back in. These 2 are very determined to brood together.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

I tried the ice trick once (putting ice under the hen instead of eggs to make her uncomfortable), my little silkie just melted the ice underneath her had to change all the bedding and she still went back to being broody.

 

[Sammster]

I don't screw around, if I have a broody and don't want them to hatch, which has been 80-90% of the times....
.....into the broody breaker they go!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

Thank you, aart!

 

[Mrs. K]

I on the otherhand, cannot resist a broody hen, the Gods have smiled on me. So I either put fertilized eggs under her (however, I can manage roosters), or I order some chicks getting a breed I have had my eye on, or once when I was getting started, I called a woman, who's name I had gotten from someone else, and told her "I am a crazy chicken lady, and someone told me that you had fertilized eggs." She laughed and gave me a dozen.

Nothing is more fun than a broody hen with chicks. And it is the longest 21 days ever!

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Nothing is more fun than a broody hen with chicks.

Yes, it can be magical.
BUT.
Then there is the males,
..and the overcrowding.
A lot of folks just don't want to deal with that.