Can environment cause broodyness?

[HumbleAmerican]

And? I don’t need/want an entire flock of broody birds. I keep and cull for various reasons. Flock size is paramount.

This isn’t a discussion of how I choose to manage my flock. It’s about environment causing broodyness.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

both the above posts are informative and interesting, thanks, ladies!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Not I! I have 3 Marans, and all 3 of them were broody. I have no need of broodies! It's one reason I like EEs so much, they never seem to go broody.

Do you put them in broody jail? An elevated wire bottom cage. That usually solves the problem in a couple days.

 

[centrarchid]

Most of us are familiar with regular broody hens, but how about older hens that go broody after being exposed for a couple of weeks to store bought chicks being brooded in the run where the flock hangs out? This phenomenon is more curious than a young hen becoming broody to sit on eggs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/we-know-broody-hens-how-about-a-nanny-hen.1407935/

For my money, these cases are an argument in favor of the environment playing a role in triggering broody hormones, and that would be in addition to genetic factors. These older hens of mine that adopted chicks after becoming partially broody were breeds that had a high tendency to broodiness.

My take on this is that genetics predisposes a hen to becoming broody, but something in the environment likely also plays a role in triggering the broody hormones.

There is so much about chickens that just begs to be studied, but our culture tends to treat food animals in a very limited fashion, and if the study doesn't maximize this purpose, the study is written off as foolish and a waste of time.

This like process where roosters can also go broody. I had multiple hens go broody without going through incubation cycle. The common parts to this are older hen that just came out out of lay. In those cases, it is inducible. On the hen side I don't think it is natural and the hens that do it are also prone to crow like a rooster, not like a broody hen with crows.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do you put them in broody jail? An elevated wire bottom cage. That usually solves the problem in a couple days.

I've done that in the past. I've found my method works just as well, and as fast, about 3 days. Plus it allows them to walk around, exercise. I have a pen I sometimes use as a brooder, grow-out pen, bachelor pad, whatever's needed, adjacent to the hens' big run. It's probably about 20x40 and has a Rubbermaid storage shed about 6' square by 4' high for a night time coop and daytime shade. I just put my broodies in there. There's no place for them to nest and they get over it pretty quickly. I turned my 3 broodies out of it this morning and only one went back to a nest this evening, so she's back in jail, er, rehab, tonight. Three more days should do it.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I’m setting here with the wife discussing how we have yet another broody bird. We culled 3 broody birds last year and kept our ol faithful barred rock. Of those three we culled two were 8 month old RSL from my RIR/Barred Rock stock, the other was a tractor supply RIR.

This year the pullet that’s broody was born Aug 1 of last year.

That’s 3 broody girls 8-10 months old within the last couple years.

So is environment a factor?? I seem to be a broody magnet.

I have absolutely no proof beyond my own experiences, but I have often wondered, if the heat inside my coop, could trigger some sort of hormonal response in my flock. Because if I can keep it cooler, I don't have as many broody ladies. But if I let it get too warm, its like they all want to go broody within a few days. I know this could totally be coincidental, but it's happened enough over the years to make me wonder.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you, here's hoping! The other two weren't as dedicated as this one.

Blue, there is one issue that can prolong broodiness with your method rather than the wire bottom cage. As long as a dedicated broody can sit down on a solid surface, they can keep their abdomen warm. That will continue the hormone cycle. The sure way to break the cycle is to get cool air to circulate around the abdomen.
That is the sure-fire method used for thousands of years.

If the only option in the pen is roosts, where will the hens lay their eggs? Do you mean to remove all nests?

A dedicated broody won't start laying eggs for some time after broodiness is broken,
Nature assures broody hens don't lay eggs. That prevents a staggered hatch which would result in dead embryos when the first few hatch and the hen decides to take the chicks away to eat and drink. She won't continue to sit because her job is to care for her charges even if there are eggs still developing.

A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.

I have absolutely no proof beyond my own experiences, but I have often wondered, if the heat inside my coop, could trigger some sort of hormonal response in my flock. Because if I can keep it cooler, I don't have as many broody ladies. But if I let it get too warm, its like they all want to go broody within a few days. I know this could totally be coincidental, but it's happened enough over the years to make me wonder.

What breeds are your persistent setters?

 

[chrissynemetz]

That makes sense, probably among the most broody breeds other than Cochins and Silkies.

There are lots of breeds that don't go broody and lots that do so regularly.
I always tell people to first select a breed by their ability to handle one's climate, which it seems you have done. Next choose for one's wishes. Characteristics that meet your wishes as well as egg color, laying frequency, docility or aloofness, tendency to be setters, etc..

I wanted a few broody ladies, but sometimes they get carried away. Last summer everybody went broody but the roosters. And I'm sure they were thinking about it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you, @Chicken Canoe. At the moment I have 3 broodies out of my mixed flock of 23: a Black CM, a Blue CM and (I think) a Black Orp. The Black CM was a real viper at first when I reached under her to collect the daily egg (singular!), but as I persisted now she just growls at me, as do the other two. I'll be moving them soon to the brooder pen where there are no nests and where I can give them cool baths daily.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

This is the root of my problem. I cycle through chickens. They get 2-3 years in the flock then are culled (we eat, sell or give away)

I typically keep 1-2 broody girls regardless of age. I seem to add 1-2 new broody birds each year. My preference is RIR and will be 100% of flock after this season.

My flock size is typically 12-40 chickens. Depending on growth stages. Typical over winter is 12-18. So I’m getting 1-2 broody birds out of 12-18 birds.