How old was your oldest first time broody?

[K0k0shka]

Out of curiosity and just for fun, how old was the oldest age that you had a hen go broody for the first time? I thought they started pretty young, and all the rest of mine that have ever gone broody, have started at or under a year old. But right now I have this 3-year-old hen who’s never even considered broodiness before, suddenly decide she wants to give it a try… Which seems a bit odd. And it made me wonder. What was your oldest first timer? (whether or not you let her).

Picture for inspiration. Here she is thinking I’ll let her sleep in the nesting box:

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think mine was 4 or 5, maybe even 6

 

[K0k0shka]

I think mine was 4 or 5, maybe even 6

Wow, that’s impressive! In denial about henopause

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wow, that’s impressive! In denial about henopause

Been broody at least 1x a year since then.

 

[K0k0shka]

Been broody at least 1x a year since then.

How old is she?

 

[rosemarythyme]

3 yrs as well here, she only finished breaking today. All my 3 yr olds are taking turns, 1 broody every 2 weeks like clockwork, it's incredibly annoying - Dapple, then Daisy, then Dapple again, then Dandelion (the first timer), and now Daisy's starting up the broody cluck again.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I've got a barred EE mutt who was hatched from my own stock in spring of 2016. She's been clucking broodily all week, and she wouldn't get off the nest box this evening.

 

[K0k0shka]

I've got a barred EE mutt who was hatched from my own stock in spring of 2016. She's been clucking broodily all week, and she wouldn't get off the nest box this evening.

Wow, 7 years old! And this is her first time?

 

[K0k0shka]

3 yrs as well here, she only finished breaking today. All my 3 yr olds are taking turns, 1 broody every 2 weeks like clockwork, it's incredibly annoying - Dapple, then Daisy, then Dapple again, then Dandelion (the first timer), and now Daisy's starting up the broody cluck again.

My 3-year-olds are the only ones going broody. The 2-year-olds haven't tried it yet, and the 1-year-old hasn't either. I have a few of the 3-year-olds that are regulars every year (multiple times), so with this one joining in now, I feel like I'm breaking somebody every other week, too! (one of them is actually raising chicks right now, so she might be making things worse, giving the rest of them baby fever ).

 

[sylviethecochin]

Wow, 7 years old! And this is her first time?

Yep. Surprised me too. At first, I thought she might be getting sick, and she doesn't seem fully broody yet (no pancaking. But she's pretty flighty, so staying on the nestbox while I'm in the coop is a strong marker).

I have eggs I want hatched, so I'mma see if she sticks to it.