Still confused

[donavonef]

Is there anyway to tell if and when a hen will go broody? Are there any signs before hens go broody?

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

There's no real way to predict it but you can tell if a hen is starting to go broody because she will start to sit on the eggs more.

 

[Free Feather]

If she is thinking about going broody, she might fluff up and occasionally charge when walking. She will toss bits of hay onto her back in the nest, or even when she is just walking around. She will growl and act fussier than usual, and maybe start taking longer in the nest when she lays. If anyone else is broody, she will watch them or seem interested, and same with any chicks that might be running around. Some do this, while others, like my very broody bantam Cochin, will just see a pile of eggs lying around and will set them right then. If she is broody, she will stay in the nest except to get up and eat, drink, dustbathe, and walk around a bit. Some take longer breaks than others. While she is up, she fluffs up and makes indescribable noises that you will know if you hear. She will charge at other animals and will startle easy; if you accidentally bump into her she will fly up in the air and shriek. On the nest, she growls, shrieks, and sometimes pecks if you bother her. Some allow you to move them, others shriek and try to rip your limbs off. If you want your hens to go broody, leave eggs in the nest until evening, or just keep taking out the oldest ones and leaving the newer ones in the nest. Or leave ceramic eggs in there - plastic ones have never worked for me. When one of mine go broody, it is usual when I am gone or really busy and accidentally leave the eggs in the nest from the day before; not when I want them to go broody. What breeds of hens do you have? All of my bantams have went broody at least once. Some go broody when they first start laying while others wait until they are a year old or more. My first large fowl hen is broody right now, I have only ever had bantams go broody. She is a Black Australorp. I can tell with her that she is broody because the hormone is really strong = she would fluff up randomly in the day mid-step for like a week before going broody, and she would randomly drop on the ground and do the broody motions outside of my Cochin's nest while watching her be broody. My Cochin is broody, I think, just because she loves babies and being broody. It does not seem as much from a hormone; she just wants to. Broodiness is like a infectious disease; one goes broody and they all do.

 

[donavonef]

If she is thinking about going broody, she might fluff up and occasionally charge when walking. She will toss bits of hay onto her back in the nest, or even when she is just walking around. She will growl and act fussier than usual, and maybe start taking longer in the nest when she lays. If anyone else is broody, she will watch them or seem interested, and same with any chicks that might be running around. Some do this, while others, like my very broody bantam Cochin, will just see a pile of eggs lying around and will set them right then. If she is broody, she will stay in the nest except to get up and eat, drink, dustbathe, and walk around a bit. Some take longer breaks than others. While she is up, she fluffs up and makes indescribable noises that you will know if you hear. She will charge at other animals and will startle easy; if you accidentally bump into her she will fly up in the air and shriek. On the nest, she growls, shrieks, and sometimes pecks if you bother her. Some allow you to move them, others shriek and try to rip your limbs off. If you want your hens to go broody, leave eggs in the nest until evening, or just keep taking out the oldest ones and leaving the newer ones in the nest. Or leave ceramic eggs in there - plastic ones have never worked for me. When one of mine go broody, it is usual when I am gone or really busy and accidentally leave the eggs in the nest from the day before; not when I want them to go broody. What breeds of hens do you have? All of my bantams have went broody at least once. Some go broody when they first start laying while others wait until they are a year old or more. My first large fowl hen is broody right now, I have only ever had bantams go broody. She is a Black Australorp. I can tell with her that she is broody because the hormone is really strong = she would fluff up randomly in the day mid-step for like a week before going broody, and she would randomly drop on the ground and do the broody motions outside of my Cochin's nest while watching her be broody. My Cochin is broody, I think, just because she loves babies and being broody. It does not seem as much from a hormone; she just wants to. Broodiness is like a infectious disease; one goes broody and they all do.

This is very informative. And I have Japanese bantams. Black, Black tailed white, and buff Japanese bantams. Are these a good broody breed?

 

[Free Feather]

I have read that they are, but I have no experience withe them. Most bantams will go broody.

 

[donavonef]

Thanks for the information. I hope they go broody soon, I want some chicks!!

 

[Free Feather]

How old are they?

 

[donavonef]

I'm not sure of the exact age but they've been laying for a while. They're more than likely over a year or at least close to a year