[Draindragon]

Help.
One of my lovely ladies is currently walking round the huge chicken area picking up bits of grass, straw leaves and even small twigs and putting them on her back. She will not be distracted by anything. She is also very protective of the coup. This will be a problem as it is also cleaning out day.

Ideas please.

[bantam novice]

It sounds as if she could be going broody.  Does she "growl" at you if you try to move her off the nesting box?

[ANHBUC]

I second it being broody behaviour.

I currently have 2 bantams wanting to sit on the same clutch of quail eggs!  As soon as there is enough for another clutch they should both be happy. 

[Draindragon]

Thanks.

She has given up for today. I managed to clean the coup, i was very told off. Think i have may have over done the garlic, it is all i can smell.

[SamT]

One of mine was like this 2 years ago and she refused to get off the nest once she went in to lay her egg so I had to don oven gloves as she would peck at me if I went near her, and lift her off the nest to get the eggs and to break her out of her trance otherwise she would stay in there for hours. Once she was off the nest it took a minute or so for her to come round and then she would chase me across the garden rosey at the top of her voice as she was cross I'd taken her off the nest and removed her eggs. Took about 4 days to break the habit and although she's not done it again since she still picks up twigs and leaves when she's laid her egg sometimes then wanders off onto something else.