Broody Hen or something else?

18 years ago

I have a questions about the behavior of a broody hen.

Two days ago one of my Partridge Rock hens starting sitting in the nesting box on a clutch of eggs. I don't want chicks so I removed the eggs but put a wooden egg to appease her. She is quite aggressive and shrieks when I go near her. I have read about broodiness and she seems to fit the description. She stays there day and night. Yesterday afternoon, I pulled her off just to check her out because there was no new egg - just the wooden one. She got up and started eating immediately which I think is good. After a while I let the girls out to free range for a couple of hours and she went with them. I watched her, she looks fine and her behavior is normal looking.

Last night and this morning she was back in the nesting box. I pulled her out and she just laid in the same position on the coop floor for a few seconds and I had to encourage her to get up sort of. She did and started eating and acting normal.

This is my first flock of hens and I have tried to educate myself as much as possible but I don't know if this is the normal behavior of a broody hen or not. I want to be sure. The #1 thing that has me concerned is that she was in the box all day yesterday and didn't lay an egg. Do hens not lay after they go broody?? I felt her abdomen and it seems fine.

Hopefully, I am worrying for nothing but if I don't ask these questions I won't know the answer and I don't want to learn the hard way if at all possible.

Thanks for your input.

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Comments (6)

sleddogger
I've never had a broody hen myself, but from what I've read some breeds tend to be more broody than others. Hens don't lay when they're broody, they sit on their eggs and hardly leave their nesting box at all. Sounds like your girl will be fine, she just needs time to go through the cycle, then she'll start laying again.

Allison
sleddogger
I've never had a broody hen myself, but from what I've read some breeds tend to be more broody than others. Hens don't lay when they're broody, they sit on their eggs and hardly leave their nesting box at all. Sounds like your girl will be fine, she just needs time to go through the cycle, then she'll start laying again.

Allison
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sleddogger
I've never had a broody hen myself, but from what I've read some breeds tend to be more broody than others. Hens don't lay when they're broody, they sit on their eggs and hardly leave their nesting box at all. Sounds like your girl will be fine, she just needs time to go through the cycle, then she'll start laying again.

Allison
sleddogger
I've never had a broody hen myself, but from what I've read some breeds tend to be more broody than others. Hens don't lay when they're broody, they sit on their eggs and hardly leave their nesting box at all. Sounds like your girl will be fine, she just needs time to go through the cycle, then she'll start laying again.

Allison
nhsuzanne
Original Author
18 years ago
Allison,

Thanks for your response. I just went to Velvet Sparrow's site and read that broody hens do not lay!! I was worried that she was egg bound or something but I don't think so now. I have been taking her off her nest and making her move which is okay according the Velvet's site.
I think it's going to be okay.

What a great resource Velvet Thanks.
sullicorbitt
18 years ago
She sounds perfectly broody to me :)

-Sheila