Can environment cause broodyness?

[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]

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.

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.

What breeds are your persistent setters?

Brahmas, and Orpingtons seem to be my most determined broody ladies.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Brahmas, and Orpingtons seem to be my most determined broody ladies.

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..

 

[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.

 

[FunClucks]

My only broodies so far have been one Starlight Green Egger (twice last year, which I broke, and once this year, I let her hatch chicks, and she's been an excellent mom!), and one Prairie Bluebell (I broke her this year). The PBE may just have gone broody because it was spring and she could hear the SGE's newborn chicks peeping - her brood didn't start until just after the SGE's chicks were born. This same chicken was not broody at all last year, so I do think environment may have something to do with it.

Both of my broodies have been non-setting breeds, while the buff orpingtons and olive egger haven't been broody at all. Go figure.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My only broodies so far have been one Starlight Green Egger (twice last year, which I broke, and once this year, I let her hatch chicks, and she's been an excellent mom!), and one Prairie Bluebell (I broke her this year). The PBE may just have gone broody because it was spring and she could hear the SGE's newborn chicks peeping - her brood didn't start until just after the SGE's chicks were born. This same chicken was not broody at all last year, so I do think environment may have something to do with it.

Both of my broodies have been non-setting breeds, while the buff orpingtons and olive egger haven't been broody at all. Go figure.

That's just the way it goes.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

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.

Thanks, CC. I am aware of what you say. I tried my method last year as an experiment and it worked well, as I had more than one broody and only one cage. This happened again this spring, I was dealing with three broodies. If my method does not work on my last broody after this second attempt, I will definitely go to the cage method on her.

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.

I understand this as well. Nature triages for the living, not the not-yet-living.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We used to make wire cages out of woven wire fencing with lath or sticks for rigidity bound together with wire. They don't have to be fancy. They just have to prevent the hen from sitting on a solid surface and hold a bit of food and water. We had them suspended from the roof of the hen house.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Update. She hatched 6 1 dud. 1 pip but dead.