At what age/when do hens get broody???

There isn't a specific age other than after they start laying. Really the hen chooses when and how often she goes broody.

 

Some hens never do, like my flock of brahmas.

Then you get some that are listed (on Henderson's Chicken Chart) as "can" go broody and they go broody at 7 months old, like my SF.

It's an individual thing.

 

my EE started laying at 16 weeks and went broody at 18 weeks.

 

Excuse me for asking my question in your post, but it's related: Can they go semi-broody?? I have an 9 month old who wants to sit on eggs if they are there, but rarely lasts more than a couple hours, and will leave if I take the eggs (not happily, but she'll leave)...

 

My brahmas are 10 months old. No sign of broodiness and have laid eggs everyday since they were 6 months old.

 

Quote:She might be just thinking about going broody or she might just like to sit and contemplate the enormity of the egg she laid.

 

Quote:I have a buff orp that does that. Had a riot in the hen house because she was on the favorite nest box. The caterwalling went on for over 4 hrs. The roo went and hid in the carport, poor guy.

 

Quote:I have an EE that just seems to like sitting on the nest for a long time - sometimes it takes a good 2hrs before she comes off the nest. I have never made her get up because she eventually leaves on her own. I always figured she just needed some "alone" time??

 

My eight-month old Black Cochin Morgan went broody this week. I put her right into broody treatment - the wire cage with fan blowing under her - and after three days, she's finally back to normal. Some breeds, cochins, silkies, Brahmas, are especially broody-prone. If you have one of these broody breeds, they can go broody any time now.

But yes, some hens can go partially broody. I have a four-year old Brahma who can't resist keeping a nest-full of eggs warm until I collect them - then she'll leave. Another junior Brahma has pulled out her belly feathers and likes to warm eggs until I pull them out from under her.