can a hen go broody more than once?

[chickenlover4444]

hi, I was wondering that if a hen is broody and then it's brood is brocken can it become broody again?

 

[KellyHM]

Yes, some hens are very insistent.

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, usually starts with laying cycle.

 

[suzettex5]

Oh yes! Some hens only pretend to be not broody! They can seem broody, then not be too. A broody can stop being broody and go right back to it a week later! I have an 3 year old hen I can count on to go broody at least 2 times a year, something she has done since she started laying at 6 months old! Shes a great mom and very dependable.

Some hens never go broody, others do it all their lives (on and off, of course). Sometimes the best thing is to just let a hen get on with it and let her hatch a few babies (or give her a few day-olds from a feed store to raise) so she can get back to laying sooner, or just keep trying to break her. Your choice!

Godd luck!

 

[centrarchid]

Typical broodiness pattern in my games (which in some ways approximate wild chickens).

Step 1. Maturity
Step 2. Good condition
Step 3. Eggs layed
Step 4. Enough eggs / lumps contacting hens breast to stimulate broodiness, varies greatly between hens
Step 5. Hatch, hen bonds with chicks which maintains broodiness even when nest left.
Step 6. Stimulis from chicks lost (death) or reduced (chicks mature and voices change I think) - then step 2 (recondition)

Molting, poor nutrition, cold tend to block step 2

 

[chickenlover4444]

Ok thanks I am planning on getting her a few day old chicks to make her happy.

 

[suzettex5]

Awww, Im glad youre going to get her some babies!!!! You will LOVE watching her with them!

You might want to wait until she has gone to bed for the evening to switch out the eggs for the chicks so she will be much more likely to accept them as her own and so the chicks accept her as momma (Ive never had a problem w/day olds accepting a new momma though). Also, be sure there is food and water the chicks can reach since they may be used to eating already from the feed store conditions. The momma will still help them find food on the ground, but chicks need water they can reach all the time. You can offer them NON-medicated chickstarter in the same feeder the mom or other chickens may eat out of (shouldnt hurt the other chickens or momma at all, but medicated chick starter is bad, bad, bad for your hens in the respect that you cant eat their eggs if they have eaten medicated food, at least thats what Ive been told).

Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[chickenlover4444]

ok thanks

 

[sourland]

Depending upon the individual and breed hens can go broody many times in a year. The most successful broody that I ever had was a silky/game X that raised 5 broods of chicks in a season.

 

[Gingerlilypad]

I have one hen that stays broody. She free ranges, hides her nest, refuses to return to the pen at night, then keeps her babies hidden. I am now in the process of trying to catch some of her babies, since she teaches them to hide in brush.