Do you let your hens go broody?

[chicken farmer]

Do you ever let your hens go broody? If so when an how many hens to you allow?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If I want to hatch, yes. Any time except perhaps the dead of winter. As many as want to be broody. If more than one I especially like to give each their own apartment, otherwise they steal each other's eggs and it doesn't go nearly as well.
A broody provides the perfect conditions for the eggs, doesn't use electricity, doesn't have power outages or temperature spikes, she replaces an incubator AND brooder. If the hen is healthy, the chicks are healthier as they pick up her beneficial gut bacteria.

 

[Bigrooster42]

My big layer never went broody and i had just two at the the time two hens and a roo at least but i had a pair of old English and the hen found a spot and laid nine eggs and went broody but it was extremely hot and they died. But i find that the exotics go broody more than the big egg layers because its been bred out if them but it can happen!! Never know til you try!!! Hope that helps!!

 

[Pooman]

Yes, whenever they want, however many want to go, I'll just need to build so,e more areas if i have more than say 3 go.

Except i think I'm banning one chook as she is a terrible mother and aggressive towards people.

Broodies are awesome

 

[elsfieldchickens]

I always let my hens go broody and usually give bantams 6 and large fowl10