Broody Leghorns

[Heidihoskins]

I have a question about my Leghorn hens. I had several Leghorns shipped to me last year. They are laying well. I read on line that they seldom go broody, yet 3 of my 4 Leghorn hens have taken off, disappeared for awhile, and then shown back up with chicks in tow. My Rhode Island Red and Americana have never hatched chicks (except for 1 Americana hatched 3 chicks). Why do you think this is happening, when everything I read says they dont go broody?

 

[DobieLover]

I have a question about my Leghorn hens. I had several Leghorns shipped to me last year. They are laying well. I read on line that they seldom go broody, yet 3 of my 4 Leghorn hens have taken off, disappeared for awhile, and then shown back up with chicks in tow. My Rhode Island Red and Americana have never hatched chicks (except for 1 Americana hatched 3 chicks). Why do you think this is happening, when everything I read says they dont go broody?

Because birds are individuals and they never read the rule books.
Hormones dictate if a bird will or won't go broody.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. It's all about the strain or variety. MOST white leghorns do not go broody (some do) but broodiness has not been selected against in many varieties.

 

[Heidihoskins]

They are really good mamas too. Very protective and will go after and attack any other hens that get too close.

 

[DobieLover]

They are really good mamas too. Very protective and will go after and attack any other hens that get too close.

I bet they are! My two WLHs are hellions and would give a hen twice their size second thoughts about messing with their chicks if they had them to protect.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Are you sure they're leghorns?
White eggs, white ear lobes, yellow shanks?
I raise a lot of leghorns and seems unbelievably rare to have 3 out of 4 go broody in one season.
Not saying I don't take your word for it but curious if there's a breed mix up to explain it.

 

[Maiahr]

I have a broody Leghorn.. I hatched her in an incubator last year and she has only been laying eggs for about a month or so... and now she wants to be a mama.