Broody hen?

[BMD17553]

I have 3 hens a buff orphington a rhode island red and a green legged hatch will they go broody and if so under what conditions and how do i know if they will go broody

 

[sumi]

Broodiness is hormonal and can happen any time, so it's hard to say. Some breeds are more prone to broodiness than others, some hens are more prone to broodiness than others. Some hens seem to be broody all the time (I have one of those) and some never, ever go broody (I've had some of those as well).

When the hen goes broody she will sit on any eggs (or anything resembling an egg) she'll find, steal eggs from other nests to sit on, screech and puff herself when she gets disturbed and refuse to leave the nest except for a few minutes once a day to eat, drink, chase her flock mates around a bit and relieve herself of the biggest chicken droppings you'll ever see. (Watch out for those, they are rather unpleasant). If you suspect you have a broody, let her sit for at least 2 days and make sure she sleeps in her chosen spot as well, before giving her eggs to hatch. Sometimes hens will sit up to 24 hours before changing their minds. Here's a wonderful thread on broody hens and hatches, if you'd like to read more about them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...en-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread/0_30