How soon after laying their first eggs will hens go broody? I have a hen that's only been laying a month or so. She disappeared a couple weeks ago- at first we thought a predator got her but she reappeared when I was tossing cracked corn to the flock a week ago. Disappeared again and came back this morning to feed. I've looked all over for a hidden nest but we have forest all around us. I don't know where she hides out or where she roosts at night. My husband thinks she's sitting on eggs out in the woods but isn't it too early in her egg laying career for her to be going broody? Not to mention the fact that it's October and a bit late to be hatching out eggs...