I have a 1 year old Buff Orpington hen who has been broody pretty constantly since Sept. I just put 6 hatching eggs under her and she sat faithfully and hatched 2 chicks. They are 8 days old now. Mom and babies are in my office in my house, because my coop and run isn't safe for them (I am reconfiguring at the moment). My broody brooded in my office as a chick herself, and seems super comfortable in there.
As of yesterday, she has taken to sitting up on a desk surface with the chicks on the floor screaming for her. She comes down to eat and she still seems to care for them but she won't stay on the floor with them. This evening i put a brooder heat plate in the room so they can warm up without her, and they almost fell asleep under it when they got warm, but then panicked that she's not there and came out and started screaming for her again.
Is this unusual behavior, or just normal? She doesn't seem ill, she looks good and eats and drinks a lot and her poop looks normal.
As of yesterday, she has taken to sitting up on a desk surface with the chicks on the floor screaming for her. She comes down to eat and she still seems to care for them but she won't stay on the floor with them. This evening i put a brooder heat plate in the room so they can warm up without her, and they almost fell asleep under it when they got warm, but then panicked that she's not there and came out and started screaming for her again.
Is this unusual behavior, or just normal? She doesn't seem ill, she looks good and eats and drinks a lot and her poop looks normal.
