How long will it take after breaking a broody for her to start laying again?

doughouse

Songster
Apr 14, 2020
141
289
166
Boston, MA
We broke our broody two weeks ago and I'm pretty sure she hadn't laid an egg since. Is that normal? When should we expect her to start being productive again?
 
A few weeks is normal before laying starts again, though in some cases it can take longer. I had a bird last year that went broody in July, and didn't resume until this spring (she was never a good layer though).
My poor baby was making all the broody noises, puffing up all the time (which isn’t like her) flattening out when she laid down, refusing to get out of her nest all day. I assumed broody, even though she had laid the day before, so I picked her up, she’s my gentle girl and got her in the run out in the garden anything I could to to take her mind off the nesting box. After everyone laid, I closed the door to the nesting boxes. So she couldn’t get in. She wanted in so bad she starred at the roof almost 10ft up at jumped as high as she could to make it, poor girl jumped 4ft straight up and back down. I left them in the run till around sun down and let them in, I had to place her on the roost she wanted to go to the nests, where I had found her the night before. Then only to find that she had laid out in the run. 😢 I didn’t think she would lay given her behavior. Still new at this. She hasn’t laid for days now but no longer has broody behavior. Do you think she really was broody and it could be a couple weeks, or could it be something else? She’s an every day layer since she started a month ago.
 
I didn’t think she would lay given her behavior. Still new at this. She hasn’t laid for days now but no longer has broody behavior. Do you think she really was broody and it could be a couple weeks, or could it be something else?
Broodies often still have an egg (or even 2) in the system when they start to set, so not unusual to have them lay even after they start showing signs of broodiness. Doesn't meant they're not broody.
 
Broodies often still have an egg (or even 2) in the system when they start to set, so not unusual to have them lay even after they start showing signs of broodiness. Doesn't meant they're not broody.
Ok so then it could be a week or more? Minimum you’ve experienced? Sounds like from what you said earlier it could be months. She’s a BO so I knew she’d get broody but I don’t have a rooster so I don’t want her broody but I imagine I’m going to need to get use to dealing with this. 🤣
 
Ok so then it could be a week or more? Minimum you’ve experienced? Sounds like from what you said earlier it could be months. She’s a BO so I knew she’d get broody but I don’t have a rooster so I don’t want her broody but I imagine I’m going to need to get use to dealing with this. 🤣
Generally it's about 2 weeks for them to resume laying after broodiness, but I've had a bird go for 6-7 months before resuming, but that's a pretty unusual case (as noted it was a bird who wasn't a good layer to start).

And yeah I'm pretty used to dealing with it at this point. I try to get breeds that don't go broody as much but as each bird is an individual, you don't have any guarantees even if you get a less broody breed.
 
Generally it's about 2 weeks for them to resume laying after broodiness, but I've had a bird go for 6-7 months before resuming, but that's a pretty unusual case (as noted it was a bird who wasn't a good layer to start).
And yeah I'm pretty used to dealing with it at this point. I try to get breeds that don't go broody as much but as each bird is an individual, you don't have any guarantees even if you get a less broody breed.
Thanks, I think I might have another but I thought I broke her of it. She puffs up and screeches when laying and stays in there much longer than my other girls. I’ve had to use a broom to get her out. She does that kluck,kluck,kluck like a ticking time bomb in the run, but once she’s out of the nest she stays out of the nest, and is not puffing up in the run and sleeps on the roost. Is she going broody again, she only stopped laying for a day the last time. Maybe I never really broke her? It was only a few weeks ago, maybe less. Or is she just a puffy, screeching layer? I guess I’ll find out soon or later. Just like your thoughts.
 
Is she going broody again, she only stopped laying for a day the last time. Maybe I never really broke her? It was only a few weeks ago, maybe less. Or is she just a puffy, screeching layer? I guess I’ll find out soon or later. Just like your thoughts.
Hard to tell. As long as they stay out of the nest I'm satisfied, regardless if they're showing other broody-type behaviors (some have a slow ramp down time after broodiness is broken, where they continue to act half-broody). It's only if they end up sitting in the nest all day/overnight again that I'd worry about breaking them again.
 
Hard to tell. As long as they stay out of the nest I'm satisfied, regardless if they're showing other broody-type behaviors (some have a slow ramp down time after broodiness is broken, where they continue to act half-broody). It's only if they end up sitting in the nest all day/overnight again that I'd worry about breaking them again.
Good advice! Glad I asked, that’s exactly what I’d call it half-broody 😂 I won’t overwhelm you with more questions tonight. I’m currently trying to pull up all the broody stuff on here that I can. One person said that her hen lays for 3 weeks goes broody then no eggs for 2 weeks then the cycle starts over lays 3 off 2. Im having a hard time believing that’s a thing, but maybe it is. I didn’t research enough about broody hens before I got them. I just wanted the Opingtons so bad I figured what ever it was Id live with it. They’re worth it though, they’re my favorite no matter how much trouble they are. 😊
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom