Broody Hen

[chickenlyn]

I have a young RIR hen, about 9 months, who seems to want to brood outside under the rabbit hutch. It's so cold I have taken the rabbit onto the front porch, but this hen has made up a nest and laid an egg there for 3 days now. She then goes for a snack and comes back to find the egg and set on it, which of course I have taken. It's 15 degrees here. I know chickens are not bright, but there are enough nesting boxes for all of them. Why would Henny want to be out there in the wind? She is too young to hatch young anyway, isn't she? I thought next summer I would let a couple of the girls brood, as my roosters have good behaviors I would like to foster in new ones.

 

[bargain]

They go broody when "Nature Calls", it's cyclical and some hens never go broody. If you aren't prepared to help her by having a broody pens or don't want to raise chicks at this time, just gather her eggs. After a while, she'll loose her broody....But it may be a few weeks.

Best of luck on this. Nancy
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[Judy]

She's broody because her hormones made her so, and no, she's not too young to hatch chicks; why would you think this?

You might need to do some research on broodies before setting eggs under one.

 

[chickenlyn]

From the reading I have done it is said to be better to give them a season of laying and to let them brood the following year. They are more mature and settled then. Where would you propose I would look for more information? I am not equipped to give her a separate place right now that would be warm enough for her.