How broody is too broody???

[Rachel'sFlock]

I have an 11 month old Black Australorp hen, called Alice Ann, who is now, as of today, broody for the third (count 'em~ 3) time.
I haven't got a roo, so no fertile eggs to hatch, and the babies in my life are already 2.5 weeks old!
I love her and want for her to be a Mum, someday (the babies are straight run, we are fingers crossed for a nice, pretty, strong roo to help her out one day), but I don't know if I can keep feeding a hen who only lays every other month.
Is this unusually broody (for the breed?). If I slide some day olds under her in a week, will it scratch her itch? That is to say, will she be less likely (or more likely) to go broody right away?
Please help. She is the sweetest, most reliable layer, in the world...until the day, she becomes a velocoraptor for a month.

Thanks, in advance, as always.
Bright Blessings!

 

[BarefootMom]

If you lived closer to Missouri I would trade you some hens for her! I want a broody so bad. I thought one of my BRs was going broody but she is in fact not. I am so jealous! I have had chickens for a year now and I have always kept around 30 laying hens...NONE of them have EVER went broody.

Don't know- maybe you could put an ad on CL and "rent" your hen---hatch out other people's eggs?? its an idea--that way you might make some money off of her

 

[Judy]

I have three who are over three years old, used to have more, and had one of them go broody once. So, compared to my experience, yes, it's very broody. I would probably slip a few chicks under her and let her raise them. She won't lay til she decides they are grown (hopefully about a month) but maybe once she's actually raised some she'll start laying better.

Now I have no idea if she would get broody again a few weeks later, or never, of course.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

oh barefootmom, I wish I did, too. I lover her and she will be a great Mum someday, but today is not that day! I hope you get some broody vibes just from having spoken to us!

thanks for the advice ddawn. I am so not prepared for more new babies at the moment, with the 8 2.5 week-olds in a brooder right now. I only wanted 4 pullets and a roo, when I got the 8 straight run I have now!
I can't imagine trying to slide one of them past her in the night...

Thanks for the thoughts, folks!

 

[nuchickontheblock]

We have 3 Ameraucana hens and 2 of them alternated being broody most of the fall. This Winter one of them went broody every other month. I used a wire broody cage a couple of times over the winter, which would break her, but a month later she'd be at it again. This last time I didn't even bother with the cage. She just got over it herself after about 3 weeks. I contemplated getting her some little chicks this Spring, but sadly she has a chronic respiratory virus and I've been advised by an avian vet to not get more chickens until she is gone so as not to infect others. Too bad as she would probably be a good mom. She is a sweet girl and not a growly type of broody. She lets us pick her up a couple of times a day and take her off the nest, but after she eats a little bit, she's right back at it. She is very thin and I don't think it is very good for her health. We try to keep her fed and hydrated, but I feel badly for her. . . her hormones are really out of control!