OMG everybody's Broody!

[Dhkoenig]

Mostly venting here but i have 12 hens and 4 are broody! We don't have a rooster, nor do we have space for more chickens so I put the first one in broody jail, and now I added another to the cell (LOL) but they are an atrocity to clean - having them in a crate for a full day you have to clean the nasty poops and grates, and then do it again in the morning - and now I have two more broodies! My husband is outside trying to build a bigger and easier-access for cleaning broody jail but this is ridiculous! Why are so many broody this year? I usually only have the same two broodies but this year, I have three additional broodies - I just broke one of the annual broodies but have four more now! Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

 

[puddleglumWI]

Mostly venting here but i have 12 hens and 4 are broody! We don't have a rooster, nor do we have space for more chickens so I put the first one in broody jail, and now I added another to the cell (LOL) but they are an atrocity to clean - having them in a crate for a full day you have to clean the nasty poops and grates, and then do it again in the morning - and now I have two more broodies! My husband is outside trying to build a bigger and easier-access for cleaning broody jail but this is ridiculous! Why are so many broody this year? I usually only have the same two broodies but this year, I have three additional broodies - I just broke one of the annual broodies but have four more now! Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

I just posted with nearly the exact same issue, three out of my five legbars are showing signs of broodiness, two of them in full brood.

 

[LaFleche]

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

I don't know what got into them, but last night I caught broody #21 in the nest box and moved her in with # 19 and # 20 of this year!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

Because hens can be contrary PITA's. If I want one to go broody "Oh no, not me buddy. Break out your incubator and handle it yourself." If I'm trying to collect eggs to out under a broody " I want to hatch them. I want to hatch them." So they go broody and quit laying, making it harder to collect enough eggs. Aggravating things. Or if I have all of the chicks I want for the year and just want eggs several decide it is a good time to go broody.

Seriously, I do not know why it happens like that. My worst time was out of seven hens I had three go broody at the same time. My broody buster is big enough so I could put them all in at the same time.

 

[WingItRanch]

Because hens can be contrary PITA's. If I want one to go broody "Oh no, not me buddy. Break out your incubator and handle it yourself." If I'm trying to collect eggs to out under a broody " I want to hatch them. I want to hatch them." So they go broody and quit laying, making it harder to collect enough eggs. Aggravating things. Or if I have all of the chicks I want for the year and just want eggs several decide it is a good time to go broody.

Seriously, I do not know why it happens like that. My worst time was out of seven hens I had three go broody at the same time. My broody buster is big enough so I could put them all in at the same time.

And here I was wanting a broody this spring and got none! Figures...

 

[Chicalina]

It's just that time of year! Plus it's contagious.

I have 3 broody out of 9 hens right now.

Forget broody jail, I just close off the nest box for a few days and don't let anyone access it. Sure, they lay a few eggs on the coop floor but that doesn't matter, it's only temporary. When they can all behave (sit, lay, leave) then they get the nest box back.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Mostly venting here but i have 12 hens and 4 are broody! We don't have a rooster, nor do we have space for more chickens so I put the first one in broody jail, and now I added another to the cell (LOL) but they are an atrocity to clean - having them in a crate for a full day you have to clean the nasty poops and grates, and then do it again in the morning - and now I have two more broodies! My husband is outside trying to build a bigger and easier-access for cleaning broody jail but this is ridiculous! Why are so many broody this year? I usually only have the same two broodies but this year, I have three additional broodies - I just broke one of the annual broodies but have four more now! Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

Update - my awesome husband built me this unreal broody jail - I am going to post it separately but it is awesome cuz it has a lift out 2" perch, removable floor grates and a bar across the top to hang the feeders/waterers!

Because hens can be contrary PITA's. If I want one to go broody "Oh no, not me buddy. Break out your incubator and handle it yourself." If I'm trying to collect eggs to out under a broody " I want to hatch them. I want to hatch them." So they go broody and quit laying, making it harder to collect enough eggs. Aggravating things. Or if I have all of the chicks I want for the year and just want eggs several decide it is a good time to go broody.

Seriously, I do not know why it happens like that. My worst time was out of seven hens I had three go broody at the same time. My broody buster is big enough so I could put them all in at the same time.

can you show a pic of your broody buster?

 

[Dhkoenig]

It's just that time of year! Plus it's contagious.

I have 3 broody out of 9 hens right now.

Forget broody jail, I just close off the nest box for a few days and don't let anyone access it. Sure, they lay a few eggs on the coop floor but that doesn't matter, it's only temporary. When they can all behave (sit, lay, leave) then they get the nest box back.

wow your idea is a lot easier LOL. So the broodies don't just sit on the coop floor and keep their chests warm in the bedding? Mine will even stay broody just out in the run keeping their breasts warm on the bedding/dust baths/2x4 perch....

 

[ChookaPete]

Would it work to put two broody hens together into the same broody breaker box/jail? [EDIT: I just saw Ridgerunner's comment.]

I just built my own 'Broody Box' and it is bigger than a wire dog crate. It could easily fit two broody hens.


I've had a broody mama raise some chicks and is now back to laying eggs (the month-old chicks still roost with their Mama), but given her history I do feel she will go broody again. I've had two other hens go broody too, and wonder of the days I'll also have four hens being broody at the same time.

 

[Just Ranchin]

I have 3 broody Bresse hens out of 9 bresse and Australorp hens. 1 just hatched eggs and 1 just got DOCs. The 3rd will be stopped now that the other two have chicks. The 3rd is an awful mother and on the cull list anyways. I try and keep some hens for broodiness. The australorps are usually broody this time of year but only the bresse have gone broody so far.