Can environment cause broodyness?

[HumbleAmerican]

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.

 

[cherrynberry]

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.

Broodiness can run in genes but that doesn’t seem to be the case here since RSLs aren’t known to go broody. And since broodiness is caused by many factors, including hormones, hens/pullets are most likely to go broody during spring. Other seasons are still possible, but typically spring is most popular among broodies. I highly advise against culling every hen that goes broody. Seems a bit unnecessary if you could just break them instead. Unless there’s an issue with breaking broodys, that’d be my first choice if I were in your place. As for other environmental factors, I suppose leaving piles of eggs could be a potential variable too. That’s about as far as environmental factors go that I could think of.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Broodiness can run in genes but that doesn’t seem to be the case here since RSLs aren’t known to go broody. And since broodiness is caused by many factors, including hormones, hens/pullets are most likely to go broody during spring. Other seasons are still possible, but typically spring is most popular among broodies. I highly advise against culling every hen that goes broody. Seems a bit unnecessary if you could just break them instead. Unless there’s an issue with breaking broodys, that’d be my first choice if I were in your place. As for other environmental factors, I suppose leaving piles of eggs could be a potential variable too. That’s about as far as environmental factors go that I could think of.

I keep broody birds. I cull for flock size.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

There are a couple of ways to break broodiness. @aart has an excellent method. I've had good success with this method:

1.Remove hen from nest. Place her in a shallow (4 to 6" deep) pan of cool water. Don't expect her to like it, but some do. Keep her there as long as you can, up to 10 to 15 minutes. Try to calm and soothe her. Use one hand to splash the water up under her wings and try to cool her belly, breast and thighs.

2. Prevent hen from returning to the nest for at least three days. We have a grow-out pen, sometimes used to keep young cockerels in or as an infirmary, adjacent to the regular chicken run. This allows her to see the flock so she doesn't lose status. It includes a small coop. We keep the broody here for about three days and nights.

3. Release former broody into Gen. Pop. and observe. If she heads back to the nest, repeat from #1 above until she stops trying to nest and brood. Honestly, I've never had one try to go broody again.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

PS I like this method because it doesn't confine the bird to a small crate. She has a whole yard (about 20x30) to move around in. She gets exercise and can forage.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I keep broody birds. I cull for flock size.

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.

 

[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.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

There are a couple of ways to break broodiness. @aart has an excellent method. I've had good success with this method:

1.Remove hen from nest. Place her in a shallow (4 to 6" deep) pan of cool water. Don't expect her to like it, but some do. Keep her there as long as you can, up to 10 to 15 minutes. Try to calm and soothe her. Use one hand to splash the water up under her wings and try to cool her belly, breast and thighs.

2. Prevent hen from returning to the nest for at least three days. We have a grow-out pen, sometimes used to keep young cockerels in or as an infirmary, adjacent to the regular chicken run. This allows her to see the flock so she doesn't lose status. It includes a small coop. We keep the broody here for about three days and nights.

3. Release former broody into Gen. Pop. and observe. If she heads back to the nest, repeat from #1 above until she stops trying to nest and brood. Honestly, I've never had one try to go broody again.

Thanks for this. I’ve used @aart method many times. I’ll give this a try. Lord knows I’ll have more broody birds.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I know it's hormones that cause broodiness, but what causes the hormonal changes? If it's environmental, why don't all the birds in a flock go broody at the same time? Or at least all the birds of the same breed? (Well actually I once had 8 BO and I think 6 of them did, all at once!). I don't know who might be able to answer this, but it's a great question. @azygous? @ChickenCanoe ? Breed must play a part; I've never had an EE go broody, and they've always made up the majority of my flock.

 

[cherrynberry]

I know it's hormones that cause broodiness, but what causes the hormonal changes?

Broodiness is governed by prolactin, a hormone that regulates a bird’s desire to nest/hatch/whatever else we know to be considered brooding. Hormonal changes in chickens is similar to hormonal changes in humans (think about how insulin rises when someone ingests sugar. As a response, insulin promotes the metabolism of glucose). It’s complicated when you think hormones, but it basically just means a secreted signaling molecule used to regulate bodily systems/functions.

If it's environmental, why don't all the birds in a flock go broody at the same time? Or at least all the birds of the same breed? (Well actually I once had 8 BO and I think 6 of them did, all at once!). I don't know who might be able to answer this, but it's a great question. @azygous? @ChickenCanoe ? Breed must play a part; I've never had an EE go broody, and they've always made up the majority of my flock.

It’s because certain birds have a different biological make up. Just because two birds are of the same breed doesn’t necessarily make them behave the same. It also doesn’t mean they respond to environmental factors the same way. Different birds take and digest a stimulus differently. Heck, if all breeds of animals responded the same way to the same environment, we wouldn’t even have a thing called natural selection. But yes, breeds do tend to play a part, just not the whole part. At the end of the day, it’s still the genetics that determine the outcome, not the breed. Especially nowadays when breed is a very broad term.