I think my newly minted hen (1 yr today) is broody…?

[Dynamissa]

My girls from
Last year hit 1 today. And the past couple days I noticed one of my buff orpingtons started puffing up (as in raising hackles when others or I approach her )and going”rRrrrrrrrr”, like she’s pissed.

She’s super vocal all of a sudden and makes this sound when I’m handing out treats.

Can she be broody…? It IS spring… I haven’t noticed her in the nest boxes though.

The kicker?

I’m leaving with family on vacation for a week and my mom (a non-chicken person but she took care of them fine during the hot summer…. Soooo..) is going to be checking up on them twice a day.

If this is broodiness what should I have her look out for and what to do for someone who isn’t used to handling / scared of handling standard sized chickens?

Thanks…

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If your hen is broody, she will probably find a place to park, either a nest or a corner of the coop that she can claim and growl at everybody from. You say you're going to be gone for a week. Ideally, some brave person would reach under her once a day and remove eggs from under her. Do you want her to hatch eggs? Save them at room temperature in a carton, fat side up, and rock it from side to side twice daily. When you get back, if she's still broody, mark the eggs and put them under her. Every day remove all eggs that are not marked. Wear gloves if she's grumpy.

However, since your mother is not brave, just let her leave the hen alone. When you return, remove all eggs from under her and discard them. Then proceed as above. That's what I would do. But let's ask @NatJ if she agrees or has other insight.

 

[NatJ]

However, since your mother is not brave, just let her leave the hen alone. When you return, remove all eggs from under her and discard them. Then proceed as above. That's what I would do. But let's ask @NatJ if she agrees or has other insight.

I think that makes as much sense as any other strategy.

I’m leaving with family on vacation for a week and my mom (a non-chicken person but she took care of them fine during the hot summer…. Soooo..) is going to be checking up on them twice a day.

If this is broodiness what should I have her look out for and what to do for someone who isn’t used to handling / scared of handling standard sized chickens?

If the broody hen will go sit on a nest, your mom will not need to do anything about her. Just refill the feed and water containers for the flock, collect any eggs that do not have a hen on top of them, and leave the hen alone.

If the broody hen is still walking around the pen, puffed up and grumpy, just have your mom tend the chickens like usual. The hen will probably not do anything to her.

If your mom wears something like rubber boots on her feet, that helps prevent pecks and scratches on the feet & legs, while also keeping mud and chicken poop off the feet & socks & legs. I cannot recommend bare feet in sandals for any chicken tending, with or without broody hens. (Exception for anyone with enough chicken experience to make their own informed decision.)

Edit to add: do you have a rooster? If there is no rooster, eggs are probably fine to eat when you come back, even if the hen has been sitting on them. If there is a rooster, some eggs could have chicks growing in them by the time you come home, and you probably don't want to eat them.

 

[Yardmom]

The way to tell if she has gone fully broody is that she will be on the nest day and night. We realize a hen is broody when she doesn't go to roost for the night.
You can wait until you get back from vacation to give her hatching eggs (or break her broodiness). Just make sure to start all the eggs at the same time and mark them so you can remove any that are added

 

[hammyanne]

It’s possible! My polish hen showed signs of going broody at 6 months () and is just over a year old and diligently sitting on some eggs right now