Broody twice in a summer?

[Remudamom]

My little banty Milcy raised a single chick who is now feathered out. I think she's going broody again. Possible?

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Very possible. My broody would hatch 3 times a year.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
Absolutely possible! I have some Cochin x Silkie cross girls that will stay broody from spring to fall (and beyond).
I let them incubate eggs but never let them raise chicks. I shut them away from the nest boxes for a few days after til they are 'over it'. They go right back to being broody quickly.
Good luck!
Lisa

 

[Remudamom]

Great. BTW, how many eggs can I let her have? She's a Mille de Fleur?
She's sitting on some banty eggs and a couple of RIR crosses.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

how many eggs can I let her have?

Hi! As many as it looks like she can 'cover' comfortably in a single layer --- you shouldn't see any eggs poking out. For the bantam CochinxSilkie crosses, I give them 10 each to start. If there are some smaller hens that can't quite cover them all, I'll just move a couple eggs out to one of the bigger hens. With bigger eggs, of course, they can't cover so many.
Good luck!

Lisa​

 

[hinkjc]

Definitely possible. I have four hens who have been broody ALL summer.

They are really rather pathetic most days. I put them out, they cluck and complain and head back in. I can't win with these girls.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Definitely possible! I have a broody now that has been broody 6 or 7 times since her first time in August of last year. She stays with the chicks till they are about 3-4 weeks old (not good, but she is a great hatcher!), lays eggs for a week or two and goes broody again.

 

[okiehen]

Yes some hens will brood more than once in a year.
I have had 2 this year. The first one didnt hatch any it was too hot.
She broke up and in 1 month was broody again.
The 2nd hen when broody and hatched 11 of 12 buff orps, she raised the chicks till 5 weeks of age started laying again gave up being mom. In 1 month after quiting the chicks she was broody again. She is setting Ameraucana eggs from Lisa dipsy doodle doo's .
I'm thinking I'll have one more hen that is thinking about brooding she has been running around clucking and puffing up.

 

[pbjmaker]

I have some of Dipseys cochin X silkie girls and they are just like she says- all about the broody. One is on her 3rd batch of eggs since April. I let mine keep the chicks and they are good mamas too.