How often going broody?

[Itsybitsie]

Several weeks ago an Americauna went broody and it took me a couple of weeks to figure it all out and break her of it. Now she's starting to act that way again. How often do chickens do this? I'm not having problems with other girls of different breeds although last time a Burr Orphington joined the Americauna but I caught it early.

 

[Pittbull Chicken]

I think it just varies in the hen. While some species tend to go broody more than others, they're still individuals.

Last spring, one of mine went broody. We broke her of it after a few days. A month later, same thing. Then, again the next month. We finally let her sit on some fertalized eggs and have her raise the chicks.

It's been a year since then and she shows no sign of ever going broody again.

We kept three layers from that hatch and processed the rest.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Some hens go broody multiple times a season, other hens never do. Some may go broody once and never again.

 

[aart]

One summer I had to break a hen 6-7 times, and that was after I let her hatch in early spring. I finally gave her away and she never went broody again.

 

[RubelliteRose]

It very much depends upon the individual hen. Out of curiosity, is she a McMurry Ameraucana? One of my McMurry Ameraucana (EE type) went broody 2 years ago even though McMurry says they are not very likely to go broody. A week later my BCM went broody. We let both hatch a few eggs. Last year, no one went broody. This year, only my BCM went broody.