Broody 2x in one year?

[vsmenagerie]

Is it common for a hen to go broody and hatch 2 sets of chicks in the same year? I have an EE that hatched out 5 chicks, raised them up until they were all feathered out, and she disappeared again. I couldnt find her nest and she would only appear randomly, so I left her be. This morning, she has 5 chicks again, with 9 more eggs that I am going to candle.

Will she ever break this cycle? I live in central MT and this is not the right time of year for chicks, so they will be getting caught and penned up after I check the remaining eggs. I guess she really likes being a mom??

 

[chicmom]

Oh yes! Some breeds, like Silkies, are extremely broody.

 

[vsmenagerie]

Well, I guess I will be happy in that she's a great mom and the first batch of 5 seem like its 3 pullets and 2 roos, so I'll have some cool olive eggers since my rooster is a dark brahma I just never thought they would lay 2 batches in a year! I had a duck do this as well. I have so many babies haha

 

[21hens-incharge]

Awww and oh no!

Yes Cochin's are like that too.

 

[vsmenagerie]

So crazy. I plan on keeping her locked up after this batch so I can grab eggs. I let everyone free range as much as I can and she basically disappeared on me when I started locking everyone up lol I was actually a little concerned until she just appeared one day, running around all frantic like she had done before. She did a good job hiding for sure! I was out feeding cows and heard the peeps. She ended up with 4 babies, one was smooshed before it got fully out of the egg

 

[chickens really]

My Silke cross Alice has raised 3 clutches since January....Fingers crossed now she does not get broody till 2018.....