Do they go broody more in the late summer/early fall??

[JLS]

I have noticed that my hens are starting to go broody more lately!!

I do not want them to set so I have been isolating them outside of the coop during the day, away from the boxes. It takes several days but they have been returning to normal, thankfully! My qusestion is: Do they normally go broody this time of year? Or is it a matter of age? My 2 current broodies are 1.5 year old Buff Orpington and Faverolle.

 

[pgpoultry]

Here in Wales hens tend to go broody late Spring to Summer. I don't know where you are (but assume the States) and I know that some of you have been suffering with extreme heat. Maybe the girls waited until the temperatures were bearable to sit out their stint.

sandie

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Mine usuallly go broody starting in early spring to mid summer.

Had a hen once hatch in November, though.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't know if it's that predictable. I had 4 of mine brood early spring. Two more in early summer. Then it held off for a while. In the dead dog heat of summer, one brooded, and 2 more tried. Now that it's cooling down a little bit (highs in the 90s instead of the 100s), one hatched a clutch about a month ago, and one more went broody this week. I really don't see any end in sight.

 

[JLS]

Will the hens that go broody now do it again soon or is it more like once a year (I hope it is only once a year

)? I have seen some who say "let them hatch out a batch" but will that eliminate their urge to brood for an extended period of time?

Sorry for all the questions. I do not think I will get either of these breeds again because this is getting ridiculous!!

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think that depends on the individual. I have one orpington who seems to go broody about every 3 or 4 months. Others aren't nearly as regular. My rir hasn't repeated yet.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I've got my first broody right now. The eggs are on Day 9, so she's about 1/2 way done.

 

[bargain]

Well our black copper marans tend to do one broody about every 6 months, or so it seems. I need to tag them and be sure it's not just a new one. I cannot get any Buff Orpington to go broody...Maybe they need to be year 2 to 3...... Wheatan marans definitely broody 2 to 3 times a year.....Welsummers - generally twice a year. Delawares - not yet, Lav Orps - not yet, BBS Orps - not yet, barreds and heritage RIR - never, so it's just a few that go broody....for us at least.

But with the ones that do, they like to go broody in middle of an egg or baby chicken order....

 

[Dora'smom]

I've had chickens for about a year and a half now, and have only had one broody so far. She is a Cuckoo Marans and has been broody for about three weeks, and has been sitting on a mixed clutch of four eggs for about six days. So, towards fall for this one, but I think it was just a matter of her maturing and this happened to be the time of year, not a seasonal thing.

 

[Miss Red]

My game hens have been fighting for the nest boxes these past few weeks. I've had 24 out of 30 (tagged, and some doubling after first batch gets 'grown') of my mature games have sat the impossible sit. My layers haven't, but it's the year fr hatching. I've had six hens sitting at a time since July... Not sure why.