How often do they brood?

[VirginiaW]

I have a broody hen (Olive Egger) who just hatched a clutch in September, and is hunkering down in the nesting box again. I can’t let her brood again, both for her own health and because we don’t need any more chickens. I’ll scour other posts for tips for breaking her of her broodies, but was wondering: how often is she likely to do this? Is there any way to discourage broodiness before it gets started?

 

[ChickenEnthusiast]

They go broody on there own, the only way to stop them is to dip them in ice water, or take the eggs away from her every day. though there is no way to just get a chicken out of the broody stage these two steps will get her to stop after a period of time. About the ice water, look it up there are quite a few tutorials on the situation. Good luck!

 

[aart]

I have a broody hen (Olive Egger) who just hatched a clutch in September, and is hunkering down in the nesting box again. I can’t let her brood again, both for her own health and because we don’t need any more chickens. I’ll scour other posts for tips for breaking her of her broodies, but was wondering: how often is she likely to do this? Is there any way to discourage broodiness before it gets started?

You might have a serial broody on your hands.
She may go broody over and over again and you'll come to recognize her behavior more quickly with 'practice'. I had one that I broke 7 ties one summer. I finally gave her away, and she never went broody again.

I would not recommend ice water, it can shock them to death.
Tho during a hot summer a cool water dip before putting them in a breaker crate might be beneficial.


If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, IMO it's best to break her broodiness promptly.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire(1x2) on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

After 48 hours I let her out of crate very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate for another 48 hours.

Tho not necessary a chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor, gives the feet a break from the wire floor and encourages roosting.

 

[janiedoe]

It varies by the individual hen.
I have one, a standard langshan, that is broody at least 3x a year and occasionally 4x. She is around 7 years old.
I have another, a marans, that is generally broody 2x a year. I've had 3, that only went broody and raised chicks once only, all buff orpingtons. They are all over 3 years of age and haven't shown any interest in brooding.
I have 2 easter eggers that have never sit on their own eggs consistently, but they have stolen chicks and raised them as their own.
I am a believer that if you have one broody, you're likely to have another.

I haven't had any luck breaking Lucy, the langshan, for more than a few weeks at a time. The marans hen and her sister are pretty easily broken, using @aart method above.

I rehomed one of the marans last year along with several of her chicks. I hated to do so, but I found them a good home, where she, and one of her daughters (also broody) have room to raise more chicks.
Wishing you luck with your hen!