Broody or Bust: Can You Handle a Sitting Hen?

[Bruthabuz]

I just released a broody Easter Egger today after 4 days of incarceration. It seems to have worked. I haven't seen her on the nest at all today.
Keeping my fingers crossed because the only jail I have is filled again!

BTW, I got 9 correct (but I had to make my best guess on a couple of them).

 

[McChooky]

On day 2 I moved my broody hen because I was afraid the other hens would break her eggs.(I gave her 8) When she got up to eat and poop I unscrewed the nest box from the wall and moved it with the eggs to the other side of the divided coop where I raise the pullets. By the time I'd added water and feeder for her she was back so I got her and put her on the nest but she got off.She squawked a couple minutes but settled down after I darkened the room with a tarp.That was a couple days ago and she's still sitting on them

 

[McChooky]

Funny timing! One of my hens is broody now. This is her first time so I wasn’t sure how she would behave. But she is just as sweet as all my others!! I’m getting pretty confused why everyone says their broodies are so mean

We never knew when dads hens went broody.They liked to surprise us

 

[Norma Swatsenberg]

Broody Boss.
My little Phyllis has been broody for like 2 months now and won't stop- even if she isn't laying on any eggs. She thinks that I'll let her this time because she has hatched chicks for 2 years in a row now. Last year, along with Rose and Dottie, and the year before, she co-parented with RoseAnd I never really see her come out of the nest often at all.
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I just love letting her hatch chicks because I know that it makes her happy, but her babies always end up being feral

You need to handle them and hand feed them. I have one baby(teen) that follows us around like a puppy always looking for a treat or a cuddle. Hand feeding i find is the best way to befriend a chick.

 

[ebbylou]

I have a broody hen real young and i don't have a rooster so we can't get baby chicks and I physically have to take her out the hen box and even sometimes lock her out so that she will eat, drink and roam around the yard

 

[User690263]

I have a broody hen real young and i don't have a rooster so we can't get baby chicks and I physically have to take her out the hen box and even sometimes lock her out so that she will eat, drink and roam around the yard

Welcome to BYC! I've had to do a similar thing for one of my broody hens who just WOULD NOT STOP being broody.
If you haven't already, you should introduce yourself in the New member introductions section of BYC!

 

[Engelvis]

Have you ever stared into the eyes of a hen who has decided it’s her destiny to become a mama? Welcome to the broody zone—a place of pecked hands, growling fluffballs, and unpredictable emotions (hers and yours). Whether you're excited, anxious, or just curious about how to handle a broody hen, this quiz is your ultimate test.

Let’s find out: Are you ready for the feathery rollercoaster of broody behavior… or are you headed for a bust?

QUIZ:​

1. Your hen suddenly refuses to leave the nest box. What’s your first clue she might be broody?
A. She's laying an egg a day.
B. She puffs up and growls when you come near.
C. She leaves the nest to eat and scratch.
D. She’s been there for an hour—must be tired.

2. You try to collect eggs and she pecks you. What do you do?
A. Leave her alone.
B. Wear gloves and grab the eggs anyway.
C. Respect her decision and let her hatch whatever’s under her.
D. Run. Just run.

3. How long does a broody hen typically sit to hatch eggs?
A. 10 days
B. 14 days
C. 21 days
D. 30 days

4. You don’t want chicks. What’s a good way to "break" a broody hen?
A. Put ice cubes in the nest.
B. Move her out of the coop.
C. Use a wire-bottom cage with food, water, and airflow.
D. Yell, “Snap out of it!”

5. Can a broody hen still lay eggs?
A. Yes, daily.
B. No, she stops laying.
C. Only every other day.
D. She lays twice as much.

6. You want to give her fertile eggs to hatch. When’s the best time?
A. Anytime—just toss them in.
B. Right at the start, within a day or two of sitting.
C. After 10 days of sitting.
D. Once she lays 10 eggs herself.

7. Can you move a broody hen and her nest?
A. Never—she’ll explode.
B. Yes, but carefully and during nighttime.
C. Only if she’s pecking other hens.
D. Only if she gives verbal consent.

8. A broody hen leaves the nest once a day to:
A. Sunbathe and do yoga.
B. Eat, drink, poop, and stretch.
C. Find more eggs.
D. Gossip with the flock.

9. You find her sitting on golf balls. What does this mean?
A. She’s learning to play.
B. She’s confused.
C. She’s in full broody mode and anything round will do.
D. You’re being pranked.

10. Should you let a first-time broody hen hatch eggs?
A. Only if she’s been trained.
B. Sure—some do great right away!
C. No—only experienced hens.
D. Yes, but only fake eggs.

---

Answers:​

1. B
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. B
7. B
8. B
9. C
10. B

---

How Did You Do?​

0–3 correct:
Hen-dangered! You're not quite broody-ready. Do a little more reading and observing before entering the feather zone.

4–7 correct:
Cluck-worthy Contender! You’ve got a solid start, and with a bit more experience, you’ll be a broody boss in no time.

8–10 correct:
Broody Boss! You know your way around a nesting box like a seasoned flock whisperer. Your hens are lucky to have you!

Conclusion:​

Whether you’re just curious or deep in the fluff and feathers of broody hen life, this quiz gives you a peek into the quirky world of sitting hens. Share your score, your broody adventures (or disasters!), and your favorite hen mama stories.

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Question: Why set up a broody jail instead of just waiting until they stop by themselves? Is there some harm to letting them brood without intention of hatching?

 

[Squawkers]

Question: Why set up a broody jail instead of just waiting until they stop by themselves? Is there some harm to letting them brood without intention of hatching?

There are a few reasons, including that it you don’t get any eggs for a longer time and that it isn’t the best for their health. Chickens that attempt to brood won’t lay for 3+ weeks while they are in the nest, and then they won’t lay for a while after that either. When they are broody they don’t eat much and are weaker and more susceptible to getting sick. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing to just let them sit, but there good reasons to make them stop. If I’m being completely honest, I’ve just let my fare share of broodies sit in the nest. Though I deeply regret letting one of mine do that, because she got sick and died. I bet if I had made her stop she wouldn’t have been as weak.

 

[Engelvis]

There are a few reasons, including that it you don’t get any eggs for a longer time and that it isn’t the best for their health. Chickens that attempt to brood won’t lay for 3+ weeks while they are in the nest, and then they won’t lay for a while after that either. When they are broody they don’t eat much and are weaker and more susceptible to getting sick. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing to just let them sit, but there good reasons to make them stop. If I’m being completely honest, I’ve just let my fare share of broodies sit in the nest. Though I deeply regret letting one of mine do that, because she got sick and died. I bet if I had made her stop she wouldn’t have been as weak.

Thank you very much! This makes sense, I will get to work setting up a brooding jail!

 

[McChooky]

Question: Why set up a broody jail instead of just waiting until they stop by themselves? Is there some harm to letting them brood without intention of hatching?

What's the purpose of letting one sit on a nest without fertile eggs? Your hens won't be healthy and have a strong immune system if they don't eat and drink properly.Broody hens should be broke immediately