how often are broody hens broody?

[sydney13]

i have cochin, silkie, orpington, and a few other broody breeds so im wondering how often the broody breeds are broody? is it about every other week? and when you take the eggs away how long before they stop being broody?

 

[squeakyballs]

Taking the eggs away won't make them stop being broody. You can look up ways to "break a broody" but they don't always work... the other thing you can do is give them fertilized eggs to hatch, or let them sit for a week and then give them newly hatched chicks (stick them under the hen at night).

My silkies were broody... I gave them chicks, and when the chicks were about... hrm... 2 months old? the silkies started laying again, and then went broody again after 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[Mahonri]

I had no idea that Ameraucanas constantly went broody. I'm finding it out now.

 

[feathersnuggles]

You've got to cool down that broody belly, if you want to stop the broodiness. There are lots of posts about this. I have a blue wyandotte that went broody right after she began laying eggs. She gets broody pretty often.

 

[Bookworm chick]

I have 3 BR bantams broody right now. This is the second time this year for all three. I have one bantam raising two chicks, so no eggs there either. That only leaves three non-broody bantams and one of the three was just broke from being broody and hasn't started to lay yet! So, that leaves me with just two that are laying. One of the two is older and is only laying about 3-4 times a week. Grrrrr.