how often will hens go broody?

[cami]

i have silkies and buff orpingtons (hens) (and a roo)
how often will they be broody?

 

[crazy chook]

It really depends on the chicken. I have a silkie who goes broody in summer then in winter and is a great mum. I also have a pekin who only goes broody every summer and others that have never gone broody.

 

[awesomechickens]

Mine brood whenever they like.

 

[math ace]

BUMP - - Hoping more will chime in !

 

[PatS]

I have seven BO hens, one year old last mid-June. Two went broody and raised clutches just before their birthdays, one right after the other.

One of the two is broody again right now, and we are trying to "break" her of the broodiness. Her "kids" are 11 weeks old. I think it would be safe to let her raise another clutch, but we just don't need any more chicks!

 

[cami]

haha ok if you always let a hen keep her eggs till she has a big enough clutch will she go broody everytime?

 

[pgpoultry]

Well, I have a Gold Brahma (Goldie Hen) who looks like she will be broody all her life. Goldie Hen went broody after she had laid her first 10 or so eggs (didn't even know she had started to lay as she is a free ranger), broke her of that, and broody again after a week. I let her hatch a clutch and she was broody again 6 weeks after she had hatched her previous clutch.

Well she's on day 16 now and looking fine. She will be a year old at the end of August. Might change her name to Permamomma!

Oh and she does not need a clutch of eggs to start brooding, a rock or pebble is fine.

Sandie

 

[ga_goat]

I had a RIR/game cross that never was un broody when she turned a year or so old she would set anything , golf balls , acorns , eggs , didn't matter to her , I sold her this week to some folks that wanted more chicks .

 

[Kirstie1978]

I am so glad to see this thread. My bantam Orpington is broody again. I de brooded them about 5 weeks ago. Was worried she was I'll from stress as the neighbours cat has been a problem. But appears she's just being broody. Time to stop it again. Oh joy!

 

[gritsar]

Depends somewhat on the breed and very much on the individual chicken. My three year old LF brahma girls (12 of em) have never once gone broody; not once. My year old SFs (a "sometimes" broody breed) go broody if you look at them the wrong way. I also have a year old silkie that has yet to go broody.