If you break a broody will she be broody later?

[Kimi BK]

I have a broody hen (7 months old) and just searched the threads which confirmed that yes, this is broody behavior and she's not sick, and gave me the input I need on what to do (break her broodiness with an elevated crate in the run). We had backyard chickens for 10 years and never had a broody before.

But we have a farmstead now and do want to raise chicks after building another coop (which we won't do for months -- we need our own house first; the chickens have better digs than we do!!)

If we break this broody, what is the likelihood of her going broody again? Is there any way to break a bout of broodiness in a hen without "ruining" her as a future mom?

Also, a weird aspect of this episode is that our flock output (usually 10-12 eggs per day) plummeted and yesterday we only got 5 eggs. This is terribly inconvenient timing, since our farmers' market just opened last Saturday, and we finally have an outlet for our overabundance of eggs! When we first found her broody after a couple days away, she had five (mixed) eggs under her. Are the girls who like that nest just going on strike since it's occupied? Is it normal for other girls to slow down when there's a broody around? We have 12 girls and 10 nest boxes, so there's more than enough opportunity for everyone!

Thanks in advance for any advice, and thanks for all the info already out there!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Depending on the breed, she may or may not. Most breeds are not going to go broody nowadays

 

[jonalisa]

My understanding is that if she is a broody breed, she will continue to go broody - it's an innate behavior. That said, I have had broody breeds that try once or twice and that's it. I think it depends on the breed.
As for nest boxes, some hens have their favorites, but I don't think others would stop laying, as long as other boxes are available.
And broodiness can be contagious - if other hens, who are broody breeds - see her brooding, they might decide to do it also.

 

[Yardmom]

Hens that go broody once are more likely to go broody again compared to a hen who never has. There is no guarantee though. I have two hens on there second set.

 

[Kimi BK]

Thank you! She is a Welsummer. I will go ahead and set up her break box...

When we have taken her off the nest and put her in the yard with the other girls, I've noticed they are picking on her. Is that normal behavior for a flock with a broody hen? Is it just because she's fluffing up when they come near?

 

[K0k0shka]

Whether she goes broody again or not is unrelated to you breaking her current brood. It's hormonal, and out of both yours and the hen's control.

 

[jonalisa]

Yes, broody hen spends a lot of time away from her flockmates and so she loses her place in the pecking order and they will pick on her. This premise is similar to when you have a chicken who is bullying and you remove them from the flock for a few days to take them down a peg.

 

[aart]

When we have taken her off the nest and put her in the yard with the other girls, I've noticed they are picking on her. Is that normal behavior for a flock with a broody hen? Is it just because she's fluffing up when they come near?

Broody's are acting 'weird', so yes that can attract picking.

Brooding is more about the individual than the breed(most the time).
I have had birds go broody once, and other who are serial broodies(sometimes to the extreme).

 

[rayrose]

Broody is breed specific. Some breeds go broody
very often, while others never do. I have a white cochin
that goes broody every other month. If you break a broody,
she'll go broody again. You can count on it.

 

[Kimi BK]

Thanks so much!