Number of eggs a broody lays before she stops?

[tofutop]

Hello, I've read that a hen is not truly broody unless she stops laying. Is there an estimate of how many eggs a hen (who wants to raise chicks) will lay before she stops? Also, would it be different for different breeds? Thanks in advance!

 

[sourland]

The number varies from breed to breed and from individual to individual within a breed.

 

[junebuggena]

And there are lots of hens never go broody no matter how many eggs they've laid!

 

[tofutop]

Wow, I never knew that. My hen had been acting funny recently, not banging her head on her cage to be let out, and just sitting in a corner like a broody would. This morning, when I approached her cage and called her name, she made some relatively high-pitched noises. Her feathers were also fluffed up. Could she be broody?

 

[sourland]

Those are signs of being broody. What breed is she?

 

[tofutop]

I'm not sure, so I've attached a picture of her before she acted weird, and one from today. Gave her some eggs to sit on, hopefully she's broody and will stay broody!

The above is a picture of her when she was 'normal'.


This is her in her weird mood, and sitting on four eggs

 

[slng9]

use shredded paper instead of cloth. It would be more comfortable for her. If the eggs are not fertilised, there is not point allowing her to stay broody. Do you know how to care for a broody?

 

[Ole rooster]

I have two hen that layed about 2 months and went broody. One is a Swedish ISBar. The other is one that I bought as a chick with some Americana's. She is not one but more like an Orpington. The blonde hen is gone but the ISBar is still broody. I put 3 Bielefelders eggs under her to see if my rooster is doing his job.

The thing is both hens are only about 7 months old and went broody.

 

[tofutop]

I've been reading the following links, so hopefully I've got it (mostly) right:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/506381/broody-hen-care
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/08/caring-for-broody-hens-facilitating-egg.html

Hatch day was yesterday, and thankfully, hatching was successful!