Laying behaviour

[chris]

Hello - quick one this time

I can only ever catch one of my chickens (the LS) laying. She's started laying when I open up to check for eggs before I goto work -typical!

Anyway - I've watched her a few times, and she fluffs up huge, and then makes nice noises whilst I'm there - you know that kind of soft-but fast clucking-but-not-clucking-type noise?

Is that normaly laying behaviour, or is it because I'm there? She doesn't seem to mind if I grab any visible eggs, or any in the other nestbox nest to her.

Or is that indication of broody behaviour? She kind of opens her wings over any eggs that are near her, and pulls them close in. When she's laid her own though, so trots off. She's youngish, probably around 32/33 weeks old?

[motherhen]

I would say that she is going broody by that behavior, it's a little bit early but they are all individual!

[Flummery]

Mine make the little gentle clucking noise when laying but I've never caught them at it. If she goes broody, you'll know. One of mine did last year and was a proper madam, giving me a damned good beaking when I collected eggs from under her. She turned into Attilla the Hen with the others too, though she's not top hen usually.

[RichmondHens]

Some are naturally more protective of the eggs than others when they are in the nest box. One of my Orpingtons behaves as your hen does, but she's not broody, it's just her way. She likes to be left in peace to lay and tells me off in no uncertain terms if I rummage around in the nest box while she is in it, repeatedly pecking my hand.

If your LS starts remaining in the nest box however and doesn't come out for most of the day, and gets really agitated and fluffed up and pecks you when you try and move her, then she most definitely is broody.

[chris]

Hmmm.. interesting.. It may shock her out of it when I give them the new coop and run, but we'll see. She doesn't mind being touched, but thought about broodiness do to the fact she was warming the eggs if ya like!

I'll keep me eye out! Thanks

[RichmondHens]

You should see my bantam horde in high summer. Most of them are broody by then and (apart from the ones I use to incubate eggs separately in a coop) just stack up in the nest box piled on top of each other, it's quite funny. They all go into a sort of daze and I can pick them up and do anything with them really, they just stay there, growling and trying to brood my hands.

[chris]

Well, just went out to check on them, as it's extremely windy here - bit concerned as they're int the same area that my greenhouse is in - if that blew out they'd be hit (they always roost on some upright slabs I have holding earth back down one side of it) by any shards/pellets of glass.

Amazingly, they're in the coop (they've been staying out until around 1-2am recently) - probably because they were being blown all over the shop. Little light sussex is in the nestbox area squeeking away. She lays normally around 8:30, so unless she's popping one out now (doubt it) I think she may well be going broody - boo!

Would it be worth putting a bowl of pellets next to the nest box? If she's going to sit in there all day whilst I'm in work I'd like her to be able to at least eat something. I've noticed massive poos as well, and I think it was you RH that was saying they hold their poo up all day then dump it out in one go.

...and here was me choosing these 3 as I was reading about them not going broody often!

I've turned the ice cube thingy on in the fridge, incase I have to take that route and stick them under her?

[Suechooks]

Just stick her on the perch at night. That's all I did with my Silkie and she gave up after a few days.

[RichmondHens]

Yes - do as Sue says. And don't put food near her. She will go out to get it when she wants some and also poo then. You want to get her off the nest, not keep her on it.

[frias]

I don't know which is more daft when it's cold. Going broody or going into full moult.

[Glutton4...]

I don't know which is more daft when it's cold. Going broody or going into full moult.

Ever heard the term 'Bird-brained?'

[chris]

I did put her on the perch - I noticed too, forgot to say that she'd be pulling feathers out of her chest and lining the nest with them!

Thanks for the advice didn't think of that!

[Suechooks]

I don't know which is more daft when it's cold. Going broody or going into full moult.

I had some doing each during the -13* spell!

[Glutton4...]

I did put her on the perch - I noticed too, forgot to say that she'd be pulling feathers out of her chest and lining the nest with them!

Thanks for the advice didn't think of that!

Definitely broody! Daft things, Chooks!

[chris]

Whenever I approach her she fluffs up huge, and spreads her flight feathers, and neck feathers, and makes some funny noises. What does this mean in chicken body language?

It's getting to the point now if she hears me, she'll start to do it - and if she sees me from down the garden she does it - freaky!

I took two videos of her behaviour too, but seems the general consensus is she is broody so won't bother uploading them..