Can a 6 month old chicken become broody?

[CartierChicken]

I have a Hedemora hen, just 6 months old, and I have found her several times in the nesting box sitting on a couple eggs. I have seen my other hens line up for the favoured nesting box, because this hen is sitting there. I just thought she needed more time to do her business, but today I found her sitting in the box for 3 hours. I thought most hends did not go broody until their second year, and usually in the spring. So would you agree that she is broody? I have 10 Yocohama eggs that I was about to put into one of my incubators. I could really use the space, so if she could sit on these eggs, that would be perfect. And to not have to keep them in a brooder after, would be lovely.

 

[CartierChicken]

Oh, and I wanted to ask something else. If she is indeed broody, I don't want her in the favoure nest. I have a lower location that would be perfect for her, giving her easier access to food and water. How should I go about trying to make her use this other location? Should I just make is nice and cozy and place all the eggs there?

 

[CartierChicken]

Well I guess I can answer my question myself I set up the new nest, and went to put in new straw for the regular nests. My suspected broody hen came in to check out the nest right away. When I returned with the eggs, she was sitting in the new nest. I had to bring her out in order to put the eggs in. She hopped right in after. So now she is stuck to those eggs I just hope she does not give up on them.

I was just thinking, if she could get broody after only laying eggs for 4 weeks, I sure hope the others don't get this way. I have 3 more Hedemoras the same age.

 

[gryeyes]

I just saw your question, and I can tell you I had two pullets go broody within a month after they started laying. BARELY six months old.

However, just to make sure, my "rule" about Is she or is she not Broody is this: a hen or pullet on the nest all day and two nights in a row is probably broody. If she leaves the nest to roost at night, not broody.

Given the "two night" rule, if she also puffs up and growls at you whilst sitting on her nest, she's broody.

 

[CartierChicken]

Quote:
Well she has not puffed up, but she has pecked at me. She is very skittish, so she usually would just move off if I came at her, but she stays and pecks at me. She would not get off the eggs tonight, and is firmly rooted in the nest. It will be interesting to see what she does tomorrow morning, when I open the coop to let everyone out. And I so hope she does stick with it, as she is sitting on 30 dollars worth of eggs. At least, that is what I could have gotten for them just selling them as fertilized eggs.

 

[kickinchicken]

My Golden Sebright was about 10 months old when she STARTED laying, only laid 5 eggs and went broody. And she goes broody CONSTANTLY with her gal-pal, a GLC.

Its so funny to see the two of them in the same nest box together.

I peek my head in and they get all screechy and terradactyl-sounding. I love it, and I hate it! The worst is the broody poops! OMG! They are HUGE and super smelly

 

[emvickrey]

I have a partridge silkie pullet that is 6 months old and has been laying for 2 weeks. She's broody now. The first one i've had that has done it so soon.

 

[CartierChicken]

Well this morning was in fact interesting I opened up the coop, and all hopped out, except the broody hen. This had me pleased, but that was to be short lived. She heard me tossing scratch and came running out. At first I thought she was out just for something to eat. I had put food and water in near where she is nesting, but there was no harm if she was just out for a bit. Well she decided she was going to free ranch with the others Then my dominant rooster chased my other rooster into the nest box, so he sat on the eggs In the end, I had to scoop the eggs up and jam them in my already full bator. I have to get the hatcher warmed up to move some eggs, then all should be well. I was so hopping for a mamma hen for this bunch. I guess there is still a chance. This hen has been sitting on everyone's eggs today, so I think she is going broody, but just not all the way there yet.

 

[Cynjay]

I just saw your question, and I can tell you I had two pullets go broody within a month after they started laying. BARELY six months old.

However, just to make sure, my "rule" about Is she or is she not Broody is this: a hen or pullet on the nest all day and two nights in a row is probably broody. If she leaves the nest to roost at night, not broody.

Given the "two night" rule, if she also puffs up and growls at you whilst sitting on her nest, she's broody.

Thanks you! You also answered what I was thinking about my 4 month old pullet she won't leave the nest and growls and hisses at me when I go in. I think she also stealing eggs from the other nest.?

 

[aart]

Thanks you! You also answered what I was thinking about my 4 month old pullet she won't leave the nest and growls and hisses at me when I go in. I think she also stealing eggs from the other nest.?

Is she even laying yet?
A bird will not likely go broody until after she starts laying.
It's normal for birds to hiss when disturbed on the nest.
Also normal for new layers to spend a lot of time on the nest while they get things figured out...some older birds do that too.

My go-to signs of a broody are.....
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?

If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.