Broody question

[madlaina]

We have a chicken that has gone broody for the 4th time in 6 months. Is this normal?
I’ll give you a bit of background. We bought chicks around this time last year and they all started laying just before 6 month of age. One of them went broody within 4-6 weeks of starting to lay and we managed to successfully break her. She went broody again a few weeks later and this time we stuck a dozen eggs under her. She successfully hatched 11 of them and reared her chicks before weaning th at 7-8 weeks old. Probably a month after that she decided to go broody again and we again broke her. One month later and here we go again...
To top it all off, she has a partner in crime. Another of the hens that went broody earlier on also got to hatch some chicks around the same time. She is now also broody again, although it’s only the second time for her. Both hens are currently in broody jail.
Any advice?

 

[nchls school]

You don't say what breed it is. But yes, it is normal. My serama hatch a new brood every 6 weeks(if I let them).

 

[nchls school]

Some hens have a strong instinct to reproduce.

 

[madlaina]

You don't say what breed it is. But yes, it is normal. My serama hatch a new brood every 6 weeks(if I let them).

Barnyard mix - something brown. I guess I know which hen to turn to if we want to hatch more chicks in future.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

This is normal. You can keep breaking them, but if those particular hens just have that instinct, they will keep brooding. I would suggest if you don't want a broody hen, to sell her so someone else.

 

[madlaina]

This is normal. You can keep breaking them, but if those particular hens just have that instinct, they will keep brooding. I would suggest if you don't want a broody hen, to sell her so someone else.

I think I’ll put up with it, as she is also the most consistent layer of the flock. She seems easy enough to break.

 

[LRH97]

I think I’ll put up with it, as she is also the most consistent layer of the flock. She seems easy enough to break.

I'd do the same. It's nice that she's not that stubborn to break. I don't have any in the middle. Either they're hard-headed setters, or they have absolutely no desire.

It does come in handy to have a nice little feathered incubator that doesn't require electricity though!

 

[aart]

It's 'normal' for some broodies.
Some might find it great to have a serial broody, I found it to be a major PITA.
Had one go 7-8 times last year after hatching in March, finally gave her away.